Raven's Ballad
by Lieutenant of the BVB Army
Summary: Raven Madison has always thought she was just an outcast in Dullsville. Until she starts getting terribly sick and an unseen truth must be revealed about her. Raven's life is in danger and not even Alexander can help, after all he's the one who must end what she is, the Heir of Halloween Town. BETTER SUMMARY INSIDE TOO! On a MINI-HIATUS for a bit.
1. Letting Go

_**A/N: This idea came to be a few months ago and refused to leave my mind until I wrote it, so tada! This will be a multi-chapter story happily.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Jack Skellington, Sally, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Raven Madison, Alexander Sterling, or Vampire Kisses. **_

_**But I do own additional characters. You'll see what I mean; I have also changed certain character's appearances to match…again you'll see-read?- what I mean!  
**_

**Prologue:**

Many things in life, and death, seem to good to be true. Too false to even cross ones own mind. This was one case.

When Jack and Sally finally got together and married, they never thought that having a child would be a possibility. They were a skeleton and a living rag doll after all. But that didn't stop the excitement, joy, and frightful love they shared when Doctor Finklestein told them the news of Sally's sickness. They also never thought of how wrong and awful other Holiday lands would see their little bundle of joy.

**Chapter. 1**

**Letting Go**

"The child could try to take away our holidays, just like it's father!" The Thanksgiving Pilgrims argued at the first official Holiday Lands Council Meeting.

"But who's to know how _my child_ will be? He or she could be like Sally, kind, loving and generous." Jack and the Halloween Town Mayor both retorted.

"That child is against the code of conduct! An abomination! Why should it live while the rest of us Holiday leaders are to remain childless?" The Easter Bunny sided with the Pilgrims still feeling put off about the whole accidental abduction. The Cupids of Valentines were neutral as were the Fire Sprites of Fourth of July.

The mayor stood as tall as his small, round frame would let him. "No one has said so, Pilgrim" He retorted.

Neither Jack, Sally, nor anyone in Halloween Town for the matter saw the problem with having a little Pumpkin Prince or Princess. As did Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. Since Santa had returned back from a Christmas-That-Almost-Never-Was, The Pumpkin King and Santa had stayed in touch wanting to know more about the others Holiday. Which, is how they became wonderful friends and companions and why the Claus' were the only ones to side with the two expecting parents.

Now Sally had not been present at the Meeting and hadn't heard the arguments, all she knew was what she thought. She would in no way terminate her pregnancy, her only child had to live. By any means. So in the months to pass as she hid away in their home in fear of other Holiday creatures coming to harm her and the child, Sally came up with a plan, a very smart plan. The Holiday Lands only said that the child couldn't live in a Holiday world and grow up to be the next Pumpkin King or Queen. But nothing was said about any other worlds Especially the Human World.

So at 9 months pregnant and what would be the last day Sally would carry the child she ventured to Christmas Town, with Jack of course. They were joined by the Claus' and a few elves to the world of humans.

"Don't worry Sally," Santa tried to comfort the living doll, "I have informed the humans your child will be with of the circumstances. They have promised to keep him or her safe and hidden until the other Holidays have simmered down or until you wish for he or she to come home. And," He hesitated, "To let you see the child one day out of every year, as long as you wish" Both Jack and Sally were torn between happiness and pain at the thought. Only once would they see their child a year, but wouldn't see how he or she grew up until it was too late. But it eased the young couples minds only slightly.

They arrived at the home where Jack and Sally's child would be born and raised. It was nothing more than an apartment meant for a family of 3 in what looked like a small town. Jack quickly named the place Dullsville for how it compared to Halloween Town. It was almost perfect. Almost. Sally could see the two humans with her lovely green eyes as she felt pain in her abdomen making her bend over. The child was on its way.

***two hours later***

All Sally could think of at those last few moments were two things. One was of course the pain that took over her body, it felt like every undead nerve in her was alive and refusing to cease the feeling. Her seems seemed to be coming undone! The second thing was what would happen to her child after he or she was born. The man and woman that would be taking it seemed very kind and loving, a little hippie-ish but to each their own. With a final cry out, a little Pumpkin Kingdom heir was born. Jack looked down at his queen as she was handed the child wanting nothing more than to whisk the two away and keep them safe and hidden for all eternity. But as he looked down at his child, his _daughter_, he knew this was the safest option for both mother and child. No words needed to be said for a name, it was silently decided.

"Raven." Both Jack and Sally breathed at the same time seeing Mrs. Claus take the little one into her arms and wrapped her in a festive blanket. "She is so beautiful." Jack whispered wishing to be human just once so he could cry. The little girl looked like the Angel of Death and Beauty combined into one. Her black as night hair curled atop her head- a subtle auburn tint touched it- and her skin pale as bone. Upon looking at the child, you would assume she was malnourished or sick; she was skinny enough to see her tiny ribs wrapped around her frame like a mini-corset. Then again her father was a skeleton. Magnificent jaded green eyes reflected Sally's as little Raven looked at her birth mother, not knowing this would be the only time.

Mrs. Claus held out the babe to Sally once more. "The door back to our worlds doesn't close for another hour," She looked at both skeleton and living doll, "You spend this time with your daughter." Jack could not cry but Sally could and she did for the both of them. Raven did not cry, but looked at her parents with what could only be innocence; how could anyone see this girl, this angel, as anything but that. It was all Jack could do but return to Halloween Town, renounce himself as Pumpkin King and live in the world of the living with his wife and daughter.

The hour seemed to pass by in a minute. Jack helped Sally stand, her body still weak from the painful birth, before looking at his daughter and gave her one last kiss on the forehead. "Good-bye my little Pumpkin Princess, I will always love you." He passed her on to Sally before turning out the small door he had to crouch to leave. Sally held Raven close to her chest hurriedly whispered her song to Raven's little ears. Her blue tinted tears dropped onto Raven's cheeks leaving a slight stain that didn't seem to want to be wiped away.

Sally looked at Sarah Madison with a look of pain, love, and loss mixed into faded green. "Please take care of my Raven. Please, promise me." Sarah could only nod feeling her throat become thick as emotion and a mother's pain filled her. As she looked at the blue skinned, odd scared woman looked at her she felt an instant bond force its was between them. Sarah had to take care of this girl, of Raven. She had to for this woman. Paul Madison looked at his wife then at the strange woman noticing the look only the two could show. Sally kissed Raven's head one last time and whispered the last few words of her lullaby. This was the worst feeling she could ever have, nothing would ever compare not even the pain of giving birth to Raven she had felt only an hour ago. She gave Raven's now sleeping form one last squeeze before placing her in Sarah's arms. The two royals of Halloween Town left the small apartment with the Claus' following behind. Sarah and Paul Madison closed the door of their small apartment feeling a sudden weight fill the room and their hearts. A wanting to protect the child they were now responsible to raise and care for. Both looked down at the sleeping and content face at the girl who would now be known as Raven Madison, the lost Pumpkin Princess Raven Skellington.

**A/N: I cried a bit writing this. Maybe it was just one of "those" nights. Y'know what I mean? Remember! Reviews = a happy writer = more chapters!**


	2. Watching

_**A/N: Let's hope for no tears in this chapter! Actually this one has more humor so ya. So the plot of VK is slightly changed, not by much. Raven has already met Alexander, already went to Vampireville, so somewhat after that but this story will blend a bit into Kissing Coffins with hints for the rest of the series. **_

**Time frame is about late September and will end most likely towards the beginning of November. Happy reading!**

_**I apologize if the characters are OOC, especially Becky. **_

**Chapter.2**

**Watching**

The annoying sunlight streamed through the black tool curtains hitting the face of the room's sole occupant. A groan emitted from the young woman as she sat up trying to adjust to the sudden change in light. Raven Madison felt like it had only been a half hour since she'd last been awake and regretfully left the comfort and enticing feeling of her bed. And just in time to hear her cell ringtone go off. _"Call it love, call it lies, call it anything you like. I'd do anything to bring you back to life." _She grabbed the small black object from her nightstand and flipped it open before pressing it to her ear. "This is such an unholy hour during the weekend for a phone call." She muttered to the caller rubbing her eyes. Raven sat back down on her bed earning a mewing protest from Nightmare who stretched her tiny kitten frame then fell back asleep. "Lucky." She waited for the caller to respond but nothing came except for what sounded like breathing. Raven ran a hand through her long hair. "Look, creeper. I don't like throaty calls so make this the first and last." She ended the call and flopped back onto her bed, again Nightmare protested. Raven rubbed at her eyes once more feeling like something was in her brown irises. A knock sounded on her door and she groaned as one of her family members opened the door. It was her mother.

"Oh good, you're awake." Sarah Madison leaned against the door frame crossing her arms. Sarah had, as we all know, grown out of her hippie stages and wore khaki pants and a deep blue blouse readying the head to work. "You haven't been awake this early since before school let out…two years ago." She smiled at her daughter. Raven simply rolled her jaded eyes and stared at her mom with a bored expression. "Anyways Raven I know you've been spending a lot of time with Alexander and just think you and I should talk." _Oh shit,_ Raven thought before covering her ears.

"Mom we've been over this already," She said her ears still covered, "Nothing like _that_ is going on. Promise." Sarah had to bite back from laughing finally seeing her daughter taking things seriously.

However she did smile. "I was not implying that. All I wanted to say is while you slept the early hours away Becky called the house phone and wanted to know if she could come over." Raven narrowed her eyes a bit. "And since I haven't seen you two hang out or whatever you do in a while I said she could come over, which is why she should be here in…" Just then the doorbell rang. "Now." Raven was slightly creeped out as her mom left her room, only to be replaced by her best friend. Becky wore her hair in a usual braids showing off her innocent eyes, which on this day seemed to dance with happiness.

"Hey Rae." Becky went to sit at Raven's desk while the teen goth got out of bed, again, and closed her door. She smirked seeing her best friend almost glowing with glee.

Raven went to her closet and pulled her clothes out for the day. "Someone seems happy." She could see the slight blush rise up Becky's neck and cheeks as she pulled a Scary Kids Scaring Kids T-shirt from her dresser and a pair of shredded black skinny jeans out from under her bed. "Did Matt finally propose?" She teased and her best friend laughed.

"I should be asking the same for Alexander for how you've been with him so much." Now it was time for Raven's pale as moon skin to turn red. Becky turned around to face the window as Raven undressed from her night wear and into her outfit of choice. "But if you must know, Matt wanted me to ask if you both wanted to go on a double date again." Raven again rolled her eyes, secretly hoping they wouldn't be stuck like that, as she pulled her black lace bra over her pale flesh.

"Sounds cool. I'll ask Alexander when I see him later." She buttoned her pants and turned to Becky. "You can look now." It didn't matter that Raven didn't have a shirt on, they had been friends since 2nd grade after all. But this time Becky almost wished she hadn't turned around. She tried to stifle the gasp that built in her throat as she saw her best friends spine poke from her pale flesh, the same for her shoulder blades. Raven was by no means anorexic physiological wise but Becky had noticed from the few times she'd seen her best friend that Raven seemed to be losing weight as if she'd been starving for years. "Ready?" She blinked and shook her head of her innate thoughts to focus on the Goth beauty.

"Oh um yeah. Are you going to do your makeup?" She quickly changed the subject. Raven nodded opening the bedroom door and padding off to the bathroom. Becky followed obediently behind and went to lean against the door frame as her best friend skillfully applied her heavy shadow and liner as well as perfect bloody lipstick, mentally reminding herself to go to Hipsterville for more black lipstick. While Becky was lost in her own thoughts, Raven was lost in her own mind. She knew everyone was looking at her with looks weirder than usual because of how her clothes seemed to be looser than usual and she continued to tighten her always studded belt. But they didn't know that there was almost nothing she could do to stop herself. It was like her body was doing a reverse growth spurt; instead of filling out she was thinning.

With an aggravated sigh Raven picked up her Corpse White concealer aiming the brush to a blue spot on her cheekbone that had been there since before she could remember. "So what did you want to do? It is Saturday, and break, so Hasties is going to be packed." Raven put down her makeup giving up on covering the forever blue stain. Becky hadn't really thought of something, Raven was of course always the one to instigate things and pick where they were to go.

Becky shrugged. "I wasn't really planning an-," But she caught off by a ringtone. _'Call it love, call it fear. Till we all just disappear.' _Raven let out a low gruff as she pulled the annoying piece of technology from her back pocket.

"Hello?" She answered confused. There was a pause before she answered. "Yeah that's me. Who is this?" Then the audible dial tone sounded and Raven pulled her phone from her ear. "The hell is going on." She closed the object and put it back in the correct pants pocket. Becky looked skeptically at her best friend who returned the look. "I've been getting whack calls since I woke up. I think Trevor's up to something again." She grumbled.

"Maybe." Becky shrugged as the duo trudged down the stairs and right past Billy Boy, who was already exchanging Pokemon cards with his friend Henry. The two boys looked at them for a minute before going back to their debate on whether Charmander would beat Raichu in a tournament.

"Raven tell him Raichu would win!" Billy exclaimed pulling the goth teen into the fight. Raven looked at the two dumbfounded not really knowing which to say.

"Obviously Raichu." She muttered before hurriedly pulling Becky out the front door, Skeleton hoodie in hand. Becky let herself be pulled along to her pickup before stopping short.

"Where exactly are we going Raven?" A slight tremor was in her voice as she opened the driver door. Raven bit her bloody lips before shrugging. "Don't tell me you're going to make me drive to your Aunt Libby's." This had happened on several occasions already this school year. Raven let out a small whiny noise.

"But come on! You had fun last time." She crossed her arms as Becky put the truck into gear and they headed down the pavement.

Becky rolled her eyes. "Yeah, being left in the middle of a shopping mall while _someone _ran off to Hot Gothics. Total fun."

"Wow sarcasm. I thought that was my thing!" They both laughed then talked mindlessly as they headed the 3 hour drive to Hipsterville. It was a really good thing that Fall Break had come early, there'd be no way they could make it to and from Hipsterville before midnight.

**_4 Hours Later_**

It felt like an eternity until they arrived in Hipsterville. Raven had taken the wheel so they could split the driving time. But it actually ended up with her driving longer. They ended up at the same Shopping Center they almost always went to.

"This is why I don't like driving!" She exclaimed jumping out of the driver side and crossing her arms. Once again Becky rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"You're the one who demanded we stop at almost every gas station so you could try every Slurpee flavor!" Raven tried to hide her smirk as she could still taste Orange Burst and Creamy Cola in her mouth. She decided to let it go before both girls linked arms and started walking to the Centers entrance. Both ended up going to stores the other liked again their wills and to the ones the other didn't before ending at one of Raven's favorite. "Do we really hafta go in there?" Becky tried to stall as Raven pulled her along into Splinters. "Can't we just go back into that piercing store? This is like a minor allowed Adult shop!" Now it was Raven's turn to roll her eyes.

"Just the back corner! Now come on, if you don't I'll make you get your eyebrow pierced and your belly button." Becky all but ran into the store after that. Raven stifled a chuckle and the entered the store.

"Welcome to Splinters! It's buy 1 get 2 half off for band T's!" A girl with obvious multiple tattoos and Neon contacts said from where she stood behind the register. A loud, heavy based, screaming version of Alice In Wonderlands 'My Own World' played through out the store as they browsed. Well Raven looked through every corner of the store while Becky tried to avoid the 'Adult' section, much to Raven's humor. They lost each other as Raven wondered towards the many T-shirts pinned to a massive wall while Becky found a few pins she thought were G rated enough.

"Becky do you thin-," She turned and was abruptly bumped into something. Hard. She rubbed her sore head and looked up at the something, someone, she'd walked into. "Sorry that was-." She stared at the person. It was a girl wearing a purple dress with black stockings and her insanely curly hair was pulled under a flattened witches hat. "My bad." She finished before shacking her head.

She girl shook her head. "Oh no it was mine!" Her voice was crackly like what most Hollywood witches sounded like. Even her face was slightly green. "I'm Jan!" Raven was stilled stunned before she mentally shook herself.

"I'm Raven…" She trailed. This girl seemed familiar but she just couldn't place her face. She spotted Becky behind the girl nervously passing by a section that had very lacy, very exposing outfits. "I gotta go." She tried not to sound rude as she hurried around the girl- Jan- and to Becky. Said farm girl had an expression of innocence lost as she looked away from the displaying outfits. But she was stopped by another body. A lanky boy with vibrant red hair and a matching shirt stood in her way. She felt almost claustrophobic as another short person came beside the boy. This was almost too much.

"Lock I think you scared her!" A raspy voice came from the new person. The fire haired boy chuckled. Raven pushed past them, walked up to Becky, and grabbed her.

"Make a new frie-hey what gives?" Raven had started pulling her out of the store making her drop a plaid hair bow she wanted to buy. Raven almost didn't hear her as she towed her protesting friend to one of the exits. "Are you alright?" Raven wasn't sure. She shook her head before taking a deep breathe.

She shook her head again. "I was bombarded by three weirdoes." She leaned against a wall digging the toe of her scuffed boots into the ground. "Did you see them?" Becky nodded slowly before putting down her shopping bags.

"They must've been really weird for you to say that." She muttered earning a small laugh. "Come on, it's past 6 and we'll never make it home before midnight if we don't leave now." Raven nodded feeling like eyes were on her.

"But I want another Slurpee!" She snickered before running to beat Becky to the truck.

**_Meanwhile_**

"I told you it was her!" A slam to the head of the red head boy came from the owner of the crackly voice. "Jack told us what she looked like, and I was right!"

The boy, Lock, glared. "Fine! But who names themselves Jan? That is so naïve, Jock!" Darrell was listening to the two bicker as he watched the girl they were sent after from behind a pillar.

"Ssshh!" He told the two before seeing her leave. "If that is her then we must continue to follow, you dummies! Or do you want to see Jack's bad side again?" All three shuddered at the thought and continued on to follow the girl they were to find and steal.

_**Thoughts? Sorry if this dragged, it took me a while to finish writing this chapter.**_

_**Remember:**_

_**Reviews = happy writer = more chapters!**_


	3. Finding Out

_**A/N: I tried to make this chapter more on track with the actual plot. This chapter will actual start the real story. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own TNBC or VK. Tim Burton and Ellen Schreiber still haven't answered my emails for ownership…**_

**Chapter. 3**

**Finding Out**

The next day felt seemed to drag on and on for Raven Madison. She woke up a little after noon and had been lounging in her room waiting for dusk to settle. Billy Boy had gone off with Henry for some computer stuff and her parents were at work. And to irritate her more a tune she as sure she'd never heard _ever _was repeating itself in her head. "Ugh." She sighed falling back on her bed making Nightmare 'mew'. It was barely 5 and the sun wouldn't start setting for another hour. She stared at herself having a rather pointless staring contest with her reflection when her eyes wandered to the blue mark that stained her rather high cheekbone. _'Where had she gotten it?'_ It was a thought she always had; she'd asked her parents and both had said it was a birthmark. But Raven had looked up birthmarks in what little medical books were in the public library and none were said to be blue, especially not powder blue. "Forget it." She muttered and stood up to get dressed. She pulled her striped corset type shirt from her top dresser and a pair of capris with chains attached to each belt loop. As it had almost all day, her phone went off and demanded her attention. She ignored it knowing very well it would be the same person, or people, that had been calling for two days straight. "Leave me alone!" She tried to keep her voice level but it was coated with annoyance and strangely was melodic. Raven was obviously not one to let frustration, unless it was a certain soccer snob, get in her way. Without much thought she pulled on her outfit along with her cuffs before noticing the sun settling behind pale clouds. Quickly she pulled on her scuffed boots, skeleton hoodie, and was out the door.

Something was off as she hopped onto her bike and made her way to Benson Hill. She could feel the disconcerting feeling of dread settle in the pit of her stomach. Had something happened to Alexander? The thought only made her peddle even faster until she was outside the rot iron gate and up the mansion steps. She only knocked once before the door creaked open, but it wasn't Alexander who answered. Jameson stood there with an expression more exhausted then usual.

"Miss Raven? I wasn't expecting you here." He opened the door leading Raven into the hallway and drawing room. Said room was colder than usual and Raven suppressed a shudder.

"Where's Alexander?" She cocked her head but the butler didn't say anything, dismissing himself to another room. Now Raven was more than annoyed. Instead of waiting like she was suppose to, like she usually did, she creeped her way down the hallway and up the stairs. Why was everything so much louder when it was a necessity to be quiet and stealth? As she made her way down the upstairs hall, without being caught, she could hear someone talking. Alexander's attic door was slightly open and she could hear his sweet voice drift through with the same annoyance she felt.

"What do you…But…" She could hear his very audible sigh as other bots came to her ears. "I understand. I know if they find the child it could only end with disaster." A long pause. "I know. Thank you, Constantine." And the sound of a phone being shut. As quickly as she could in her boots, Raven ran down the stairs and made herself sit in one of the velvet chairs. She pretended to be busy tracing the pattern on the soft seat as Alexander gracefully made his was down the banister and to stand in the doorway admiring his gothic beauty. "Hello love." He walked over and held out his hand. Raven took it and wrapped her arms around his neck. "How long have you been waiting?" He put his own hands around her waist.

"Only a few minutes. No worry." She put a happy-go-lucky smile on and kissed his cheek. The want to know who and what he was talking to was gnawing at her. But she couldn't let him know she'd been ease dropping. They decided to spend the night in and pursued to watch Interview with a Vampire for the millionth time. Alexander was watching Raven too much to even acknowledge the ongoing film and Raven…She was to engrossed in her own thoughts to know either. All she could think of was _'the child' _Alexander has mentioned. What child? And who was Constantine? She was sure she'd heard the name somewhere, she just couldn't place it. And those three people she'd be cornered by in Hipsterville…what did they want with her? Too many things were in her mind causing a migraine to etch it's way slowly behind her eyes.

"Something the matter?" Raven shook her head being brought back into the real world by his voice. She began picking at the zipper on her sweater as he watched her for a response. "Is there something you aren't telling me?" Raven was going to say no, it was somewhat the truth after all. But with the gaze Alexander was giving her made the words catch in her throat. "Raven."

She sighed. "I heard you on the phone earlier." As she said this Tom Cruise as Lestat was changing Kirsten Dunst into an immortal child. "And I heard you talking about…" She hesitated. "About a kid." A flash of worry came across Alexander's eyes and faded into a look of being caught. He couldn't tell her, he had promised his father he wouldn't tell anyone. And he loved Raven too much to bring her into the troubling affairs of his world.

"I was on the phone with my father, Constantine." He began carefully choosing what to say. "And the child is my…cousin." Raven caught the slip but decided to let him go on. "And she and her mother are in hiding." The words trailed out of his mouth seeming like the truth. And raven believed it. "They exposed themselves to a village they had been living in and are with my parents." He answered the question before Raven could ask it. Raven accepted the false truth and curled herself back against Alexander. But Alexander on the other hand was slowly filling with guilt. He couldn't believe he'd just lied to the love of his eternity and she had believed him. He knew this wouldn't end the way he wanted. Also that he needed to find the child before anyone else. All he knew about this child were two things: 1. that the child was the heir to the Halloween Town throne. And that he or she needed to die before Halloween.

**Good or bad? Review = happy writer = more chapters!**

**Oh and in case you're wondering, or love spoilers like me, Alexander lied!**


	4. Something's Wrong

**A/N: I realized it seems I'm rushing this story. Well I want it to be done by Halloween, which is in like two weeks. So I apologize if it is not going at a steady pace. **

**Chapter.4**

**Something's Wong**

Over the next week Raven had been preoccupied with Halloween- which was two weeks away- and school to think about the night she'd heard Alexander on the phone. Her mind was slightly at ease about it and she felt bad for his cousin and aunt. But even though she didn't acknowledge it, she knew something was wrong about the explanation.

"Raven!" A knock to her door before Billy Boy opened it standing in a green shirt with Atoms on it. "Mom wants you to help set up the fake webs." Raven stood from her desk where she had been trying- and failing sadly- to stitch lace onto her spandex dress. She padded out of her room and down the stairs to see her mom holding an armful of fake webs with spider rings attached.

"Good your brother got you. Can you hold this while I get the glue?" Raven took the bundle and tried not to sneeze as dust blew off it.

She followed her mother out the door and onto the porch. "Why don't we just leave the spider webs from actual spiders instead of clean them off and then put up fake ones?" She asked as Sarah Madison climbed a step ladder and began the work of pasting and sticking on the webs.

"Because," Sarah began reaching for a high corner, "only one of us in the family want them up. Plus, I don't like walking into webs when I leave the house." She smiled at Raven and took the last bit of web. Raven crossed her arms over her chest feeling a small breeze pick up. She looked up at the sky and narrowed her eyes. Dark clouds were coming in with threats of thunder storms. Raven was by no means one to object the horrendous weather or disagree with lightning but it seemed to be coming to early and at the wrong time. "I hope it doesn't rain on Halloween. Billy really wanted to go out this year." Sarah started folding up the step ladder and walked back into the house. Raven stayed out for a few minutes after starring at the sky. She couldn't stop even though her body was starting to shake from the cold and her less than warm attire. "Raven? Are you coming in?" Sarah poked her head back outside. Raven shook herself and walked back in. Sarah walked into the kitchen to start making dinner and Raven decided helping wouldn't be too bad.

"Need any help?" She came to stand next to Sarah at the stove and handed the pot her mother was reaching for.

"No I'm just making spaghetti tonight so it will be done quick." An awkward silence settled before Sarah broke it. "Why don't you invite Alexander over? You both have been spending a lot of time together during the break but he hasn't been over here. I know Billy adores him." Raven rolled her eyes but thought of it as a good idea.

"I'll do that." She left the kitchen and was in her room in a matter of seconds. She grabbed her phone from her bed and quickly sent a text to Alexander. He replied in a matter of seconds wish a quick yes to dinner. Raven thought it was odd since the sun was up but figured he wasn't sleeping well. She could relate. At night she'd become more restless with images of a place she'd never been to infiltrating her dreams and leaving her scared, confused, and oddly excited.

"Did mom say Alexander is coming over?" Billy Boy stood in her doorway once more with hope in his adorable eyes.

"Yeah and get out so I can get dressed, Nerd Boy." She playfully threw a Hello Batty plushie at him and closed her door. She changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and her black and red striped long sleeve. As she fixed the shirt in the mirror she became frustrated. No matter how she wore her clothes now, they seemed to hang off her and looked awkward. Something was wrong with her but she couldn't make herself bring it up.

"Raven, Alexander's here!" Huh? She quickly looked out her window to see the sun had already set. Had she been in her room that long? Forgetting about her makeup, she walked down the stairs to see Alexander in a deep red t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and ripped trench coat, sitting on the sofa while her father- who seemed to have just gotten home- sat in his recliner.

"Is he giving you the Spanish inquisition?" Raven sat next to Alexander taking his hand that wore the spider ring. She loved how he almost always had it on around her. Paul Madison on the other hand seemed to be glowering at the affectionate look Alexander gave Raven.

"Dinner's ready!" Sarah chirped from the dining room. All gathered into the room and the two lovers sat next to each other. "I didn't use garlic this time. I remember Raven, you told me Alexander's allergic?" She nodded and served herself some of the food as did everyone else. Everyone made small talk and commented when Billy mentioned her had a robotics project do in a week.

"I could help you, if you wanted." Alexander had responded which was met with a very happy Nerd boy and Raven taking his hand under the table. The rest of the night went by without trouble.

"Your mother and I are going to bed early tonight, Raven. But that doesn't mean any long nights, understand?" Paul chaste her as he and Sarah went to their room. Raven and Alexander had hidden out in her room and were laying on her bed enjoying the quiet. Alexander was currently playing with Raven's fingers while she dazed off into her thoughts; something she'd been doing a little too much lately.

"You seem distant." Alexander commented later on. "Penny for your thoughts?" He sat up a bit and Raven rested her head on his chest.

She didn't bother to even hide the fact she didn't want to tell. "I don't know. Things seem to be…changing quickly. This is weird to say but I think there is something wrong with me…" She might as well bring it up. She needed to tell someone.

"There's nothing wrong with you. Raven what's goin-," He stopped when she stood up and closed her door as quietly as she could. "Raven stop!" He was up and standing in front of her in seconds, holding her hands in place. Raven had tried to pull her shirt up.

"Not that. Just look okay?" He let her hands go, trusting her. She pulled up the fabric that covered her hips, stomach, and chest. Alexander's eyes went wide with shock as he saw her body. Alexander hadn't seen this much of Raven's body before but he knew this wasn't at all normal for her. He could see her bottom ribs poking out making impressions that would turn into bruises. Her hip bones weren't as noticeable but when she turned to show her back you could see them move under her skin. And her back…the spine wasn't as noticeable as when Becky last saw but he reached out to trace each small bump. "See?" Her voice trembled. "There is something wrong." And it was killing Alexander to see it.

"I…" He put his arms around her and pulled her close. "I'm sorry." She rested her head on his shoulder not caring that she only stood in pants and her bra. "I wish I knew how to help." It comforted Raven to hear that. She put her shirt back on after a few minutes and they went back to laying in her bed. Raven fell asleep a little after midnight and Alexander stayed even after. He knew he needed to find out what was wrong with Raven and protect her from it. And the child…he needed to find he or she too and protect Raven and her family from it.

But what he didn't know then was that by doing both, he would be hurting Raven all the same.

**So let me say this now, after this update there won't be one for a bit. My USB drive got stolen and had all the chapters up to the final chapter (yeah I actually finished it before publishing, shock right?) so I'll have to re-write them all. Sorry guys!**

**Raven: are you really sorry?**

**LBVBA: You know I am! *emo corner***

**Jack: Oh not again. *dramatic sigh* Please review so she'll come out!**


	5. Search

**A/N: This is kind of a major chapter. Or at least I meant it to be…But anyway! On with the story! **

**Oh and this chapter will be from Alexander's p.o.v. **

**Chapter.5**

**Search**

_He didn't understand. Why? Why was it happening? Why couldn't be stop it; stop it from hurting her. Her, Raven. He didn't protect her, couldn't. And now she was gone. Why wasn't he there to protect her?! He could see her, lying lifeless on the cold cemetery ground. Her beautiful black hair strewn across her face and green eyes showing nothing beneath them. No life, no love, nothing. He fell to his knees beside her wanting to hold her but not bringing himself to even touch. Alexander knew who did this. It was that dreaded child that was destined to do so…_

"_Alexander?" Her voice…Alexander looked down at where her body once was to see only grass that had droplets of blood. Pale feet stood in the center of blood and he trailed his eyes to the rest of the person It was a girl. She looked like Raven, sounded like her…but wasn't. The girl he loved stood before him looking the same as she always did, __**but it wasn't Raven. **__Her skin seemed tainted; a light blue dusted over her skin and what looked to be stitching came from the edges of her perfect red lips. Green eyes that once shined with mischief and life were now darkened with evanescence. He crawled back hitting his back on a headstone. She walked forward with such grace and beauty it hurt to look. She bent down to where he sat stunned and fear ebbing its way into his heart. She smiled…Her smile stretched across her face, confirming everything…_

"Alexander! Please awaken!" He felt hands on his arms and he struggled out of them. "Master Alexander!" He sat up, eyes wide. Jameson let go of his ward's arms and Alexander climbed out of his coffin. His heart was racing as little flashes came into his mind. Raven…His Raven that way…Alexander couldn't make himself think of it any longer. His grandmother had always told him that dreams were either the subconscious telling you what you truly wanted, definitely not that one, or what was to come. For once he was hoping his grandmother was wrong.

"Thank you Jameson for waking me." He ran a hand through his hair and looked at his loyal butler.

"You were shouting in your sleep, you gave me quite a fright." Jameson looked so sincere and caring at that moment.

Alexander closed his eyes momentarily. "I am sorry for worrying you. Please go back to what you were doing." Jameson gave a weary look before leaving the small room. Alexander leaned against the doorframe taking deep breathes.

"I forgot to mention something." Jameson reappeared making Alexander stand straight. "Your friend from England, the one you met before our arriving here, Miss Lillian?" Alexander nodded and Jameson went on. "She has answered our request for her to help you with your…search. She is to arrive here just after dusk." Alexander nodded again and Jameson left this time for real. Lillian Thoren…He never thought he'd have to call upon her of all people to help find the Halloween Town heir. He had met her just before he and Jameson moved to Dullsville; they'd met when his father was at an art showing and dragged Alexander along. She was an artist that had a few pieced up for auction. Later they found out she was also a vampire and wonderful tracker at that. Alexander carefully crept from his little coffin space not letting little sun that trailed through the curtain slits touch any part of him. According to the old clock he had accustomed, it was only 5:01 p.m. Lillian would be here in about 39 minutes. For once he was hoping Raven wouldn't show; he couldn't let Lillian meet her. She detested human-vampire relationships and not seeing Raven for one night was worth not having to protect her from a ravenous vampiress.

Time seemed to crawl as Alexander awaited the arrival of his some-what friend. At around 5:55 there was a knock on the door before it opened and an obnoxious voice echoed from the doorway. "Honey! I'm home!" Alexander walked out of the drawing room to see Lillian Thoren standing with an army duffel bag on her back. Lillian was a little on the short side reaching only about 5'4" but she was long and slim, making her look taller. Her hair was an unnatural red spiky halo around her head and made her sapphire set eyes intense. She dropped her bag with a thud and crossed her arms, smirking at Alexander. "Well? Long time no see." Her accent trilled in her throat sending off a false sense of friendship and understanding. _Too short of a time_, he thought.

"Thank you for coming, Lillian." He led her back into the drawing room and settled himself into a the same velvet chair Raven had sat in a few days prior; he silently prayed Lillian wouldn't detect Raven's scent.

"No need to be so formal. We are," her smirk grew, "Friends after all." She plopped down onto the leather couch, laying her body on almost every inch. "Now, what have you called me from my homeland for?" She crossed her ankles and put her hands behind her head. Alexander was about to explain but she cut him off. "No let me guess…" For about five minutes the sat in silence before Lillian snapped her fingers. "I got it. Constantine has 'bestowed'," She used air quotes, "It upon you to find and destroy the Halloween Town Heir? Am I right?" His reaction of a shocked face confirmed it. She let out a low chuckle. The thing about Lillian was that even though she was a vampire and detested humans, when the time arose to defend the vampire race she had no need to help and would seek solitude in the human world.

Alexander ran a hand threw his disheveled hair. "I know you do not care for our safety but the Heir's 17 birthday is arriving. He or she will find out who they are soon and come into full use of their powers." Lillian sat up and raised an eyebrow.

"Ah," she started and stood up to start pacing, "That is why you decided to stay here. You found out the child lives in this town." She paused for a minute her eyes twitching back and forth like she had sensed something. "Anyhow. Tell me, what do you know about the Heir. Aside from the obvious." Alexander sat up slightly straighter.

"The Heir will have obvious features of the Pumpkin King and Queen. Most likely green eyes and red hair like it's mother but possibly dark hair. As well as significantly tall as preceded. The gender hasn't been found out yet but we are under suspicion it may be a male."

Lillian nodded before pausing her paces to narrow her eyes at Alexander. "Why do you believe it's a male Heir? Surely a girl would be more likely considering there are almost no chromosomes from the Skeleton." _Because of Raven, _he barely let himself think.

"Because if the child were to be a girl then we would have no need to worry. There has only ever been Kings in the Hallow Realm, and only one woman. Which was by marriage." Lillian thought his explanation sufficed and let him explain what would happen if the child were to come into it's powers.

Sometime passed before either realized how short of a time they had till the sun would rise. "I'll skower the town before I retire and have a list of names for you by the night." She excused herself, picked up her duffel, and left the manor without so much as a whisper from the wind. Alexander let out a deep breathe and went stag in his chair. He knew somehow this wasn't going to end well. Remnants of his dream still invaded his mind. Alexander wouldn't let Lillian near Raven for fear of hurting her. But he couldn't let go of the fact he would have to end the Heir…and he wasn't so sure the Heir was a male…

**A/N: Thank you Rin Omagami (my best friend in RL) for the idea of Lillian. What do you all think of this new character? And I do like adding other OC's, hint hint…**

**Review!**


	6. Undone

**A/N: Hey look! A double update!  
****Again, I am sorry that this time line is rushed. I didn't originally plan to make this story more than 5 really long chapters but I decided to break it up into multiples. We are also back to Raven's p.o.v. See you guys at the bottom of the chapter! *dives into rabbit hole***

**Chapter.6**

**Undone**

At some point in time everyone gets self cautious, some more than others. Raven had to be at the stop of the spectrum. It was a dreary Monday morning and Raven was utterly miserable. Her body was betraying her then making her feel overly exhausted but thankfully her excessive weight loss has stopped leaving her looking somewhat healthy. With every glance someone gave her as she walked the halls, the more timid she was getting. For a bit she thought she and Becky had changed personas since her best friend seemed to be glowing with happiness. "Raven are you okay?" Said best friend has asked her repeatedly every time Raven started to dose off. By lunch neither girl thought she was going to make it the rest of the day. "I think you should go home." Raven for once didn't want to leave early.

"Becky, I'll be fine. It's probably just a bug." Raven put on a smiling mask and decided to go about the day putting in as much work as she usually did. A thought kept ebbing its way into her focus. _Something was going to happen today. _Not knowing what was frustrating her more. Soon another migraine came upon her making it the fourth that day. The sound of the final bell was bitter sweet as it meant she could sleep away her exhaustion and get rid of her ever lasting headache.

"Do you want to cancel tonight?" Becky asked as they made their way across Dullsville High's parking lot. They had finally made plans to double date but by the looks of Raven's non-makeup, paler than usual face it looked like they were going to hafta rain check.

Raven shook her head stubbornly. "No. I'll be fine Becky, trust me ok?" Both knew it was a lie but Becky gave Raven credit for sticking to a plan.

**_2 hours later_**

"Raven, honey I think you should stay home. I'm sure Becky and Matt will understand." Sarah was following Raven as the young goth was getting ready for the double date. Upon coming home, Raven had been having coughing fits that sounded like her lungs were full of something wet and gross.

Raven sighed for the hundredth time. "Mom I will be fine." She turned her charcoal covered eyes to her mother's weary face. "If I start feeling any worse I'll come home, okay?" Sarah had to agree but worry built in her chest. She knew tonight she was going to have to tell Raven something she never thought she would. 16 years and now it was crumbling… "Mom? Hello anyone there?" Raven waved a hand in front of Sarah's face gaining her mother's attention.

"Sorry, I got lost in thought." An awkward pause. "Bring a jacket with you. I don't want you to get any more sick." And with that Raven was left alone in her room feeling very confused. She brushed it off and changed from the skinny jeans she'd worn to school into black lace tights and a black Hell Bunny skirt. She put on her Freak Show tee and her signature combats. _Feeling ugly, looking pretty,_ she thought miserably. She pulled on one of her warmer hoodies and grabbed her house keys, stuffing them into the skirt pocket along with her phone. She closed her bedroom double checking her makeup in the hall mirror and was down the stairs. She waited near the front door for Alexander to arrive, her mind spinning with irate thoughts. "And Raven…" Sarah came around the hall corner, wringing her hands as she walked. "When you get home, I'd like to talk to you." Raven was about to ask about what but a knock interrupted her. Perfect timing.

"Gotta go. Bye mom." She opened the door and closed it behind her. Cold night air wrapped itself around her legs like a new skin. Alexander beamed at her reaching out a hand, bending in a half bow. He presented a bouquet of bloody red roses to her. Raven smiled and took his hand. "And they say chivalry is dead." He led her to his sleek black car and opened the door for her. Raven inhaled the perfume of the flowers as she sat in the car and buckled. They smelt of somewhere she had known some time ago but she knew she'd never met the scent before.

"You look especially lovely tonight." Alexander commented when he had gotten in the car and was driving down the empty streets of Dullsville. Raven bit back the cough that was creeping up her throat and continued to pick at the roses. She wasn't going to let something like what she assumed was a cold of flu ruin things. "Have you been feeling any better?" He took notice of how her bones didn't seem to jut out as much and her face was taking back the heart shape he loved.

Raven nodded. "Some. I'm sure it was just the flu…" She trailed before getting lost in the flowers again.

They arrived at Hastie's in minutes to see Becky and Matt waiting in front. Raven got out unassisted and left her rose's in the car except for one. "I thought you guys weren't going to make it!" Becky chirped trying to be casual and to try to make the awkward that settled disappear.

"Sorry." Raven muttered as they all entered the diner. No one took note as Becky and Matt entered the fast food joint but the second Raven and Alexander took one step in, all eyes were fixated on them. Raven rolled her eyes, Alexander had been living there for over a year already. You'd think they'd be over with their ignorant gossip.

The group took a booth towards the back with each couple sitting on either end. Alexander grasped Raven's hand trying to reassure her as he noticed she started to shake like she was cold. Becky noticed to and quickly got Matt's attention by asking him what he was going to order. Raven on the other hand didn't even realize she had started to shake until Alexander took off his trench coat and slipped it over her shoulders. "Thank you." She whispered, mentally smacking herself when her voice ended up being very hoarse. Their waitress came along smacking her lips with cherry smelling bubble gum and left with a bouncy walk. Raven felt her stomach clench and put a fish-netted hand to it, brushing off the concerned looks she was given.

"So how's it up on Benson Hill, Alexander?" Matt broke the quiet and pulled everyone's attention away from Raven. She sent him a telepathic 'Thank You'. They all indulged in to topics of whatever came into mind. Matt asked how home schooling worked exactly for Alexander which might have been the highlight of the conversations. While the two young men were going into details of their own, Becky was leaning close to Raven across the table trying to get answers.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Becky whispered. Raven nodded making her roll her eyes with a sigh. "Don't lie to me. You haven't been alright since we were in Hipsterville and those three guys got you." And this is why Becky wasn't much of a secret keeper.

"What three guys?" Alexander narrowed his eyes. Raven had yet to tell him in the passing weeks not wanting him to worry more and wanted to face-palm herself. "Raven?"

She sighed. "It's nothing. These _two _guys and a girl thought I saw someone they knew. No biggie." Their food came just as Alexander was about to press for more but no one was going to talk while they ate.

An awkward hour later Alexander and Matt were bickering about who was going to pay before they decided to split the bill. Raven and Becky waited outside for them. The growing ache in Raven's stomach had grown to take over her thing rib cage and was clenching her lungs. She tried to take deep breathes and decided to ignore the pain as best as she could. "Raven. I think you should really consider going to the doctor or something." Becky took one of her hands in a reassuring matter. She hated to see her best friend in obvious pain but was doing nothing to help it.

Raven finally gave in. "I think…" Her mind became fuzzy as the boys came outside and stood next to them. "I think you're right." And she could feel herself start to fall before everything faded like an old movie to an eerie welcoming black.

***pops out of rabbit hole* So this is kinda short. Sorry for that. So whatcha guys think so far? I know some of you are probably wondering "Where does Nightmare Before Christmas come in?" Well have no fear! There will be a chapter with it soon. **

**Jack (not Skellington): Please review. If she goes back into that corner we're all screwed!**


	7. What?

***climbs out of rabbit hole and brushes self off* Welcome to the seventh chapter of Raven's Ballad! This chapter will probably confuse some of you, just a warning. Enjoy!**

**Chapter.7**

**What?**

_Everything felt numb. Nothing mad sense. She felt like she was being held upside down in water. She fought against the feeling trying to force her eyes open but only seeing black. For once, she could do without the color black. Raven tried to move her limbs but they were as useful as rubber hoses. Finally she could feel a small tingling in her fingers and toes and was slowly able to move them. "What is she doing?" A loud voice boomed and hurt her ears. It was followed by audible hushes from at least three people. None of which sounded familiar; where was she?_

"_Sshh she's waking." A softer voice sounded. It was much closer than the others. Raven clenched and unclenched her hands feeling something brush against them. Her eyes popped open and the next thing she knew, she was sitting up with her back against a wall. Everything was still fuzzy and taking unnatural shapes as her mind tried to comprehend what the hell she was seeing. It was a bit before she realized her head was resting on something hard, a tombstone. Her eyes blinked and uncrossed just enough for her to get a hold of her bearings and to see the unfamiliar cemetery she was in. "Oh look she's awake!" Raven blinked a few times before looking around once more. No one was anywhere near her and she was beyond confused until her eyes focused on two figures off to her right. She tried to stand but her knees shook making the world seem to tip. Speaking of worlds, where was she? Carefully, she held onto headstones to keep her balance as she wobbled close to where the two were; a small ache settled in her chest as she came to see who it was. A man and a woman stood before her looking at a deep red blanket that was in the woman's arms. Raven cocked her head intrigued and crawled behind a large headstone, right behind where the man and woman stood. Raven strained her neck to see what was in the bundle. As if hearing her thoughts, the woman turned around smiling at the blanket. No, not just a blanket. A baby. Raven had to swallow a gasp as she saw the faces of the couple. It was her mom and dad. Paul and Sarah Madison were glowing as they stared at the baby, which she presumed was a girl, and cooed at her. An aura of happiness surrounded them but Raven felt like something was missing, something huge. And why were they in a cemetery? An annoying sound of creaking wood made her cover her ears and turn her attention towards a mausoleum that's door was opening. We all know Raven loved everything goth, didn't scare easily, and would give anything to be one of the undead-vampire undead anyway- but right then she was scared to her wits end and was ready to book it. Another couple came out intriguing her more than making her fear. A woman with unusual skin and auburn hair came out first, followed by a very tall man with dark hair, deep set eyes, and skin so gaunt and pale he could be translucent. She gasped feeling a longing for the two and when the four adults looked in her direction, she ducked quickly behind the tombstone. Her heart was beating quickly creating an ache in her chest. Raven slinked from tombstone to tombstone trying to get a closer look at the four. Her eyes were having a hard time adjusting and she had to blink more than necessary. "_What?" _She whispered as she saw her mother pass the baby girl over to the odd couple. The woman took the girl in her arms and held her close to her face. It was a sorrowful sweet sight. The man smiled down at the two and held them close to his chest. They were the picture of serenity. _

"_Thank you." The woman spoke smiling at Sarah and Paul. Raven's parents nodded with sullen looks. Oh how Raven wished she could get closer but feared blowing her cover. Instead she came to the closest headstone and sat waiting. The man played with the little girl, tossing her carefully into the air making her giggle and squirm with glee. The woman had seated herself on a stone bench along with Sarah. Both woman had eyes fixated on the little girl as they talked, neither looking once at the other. Raven had to keep as quiet and still as can be, the bench was only a foot away from where she hid. "I still can't thank you enough, Sarah." The voice of the woman was beautiful and soft like velvet. Raven recognized it almost immediately; it was the voice that crept into her mind singing that sultry lullaby. But she'd never heard or seen this woman before, she was sure of it. _

_Sarah smiled. "You don't need to. You gave us something, even for a short time, something we wanted and yearned for. I should be thanking you." They were quiet for a short time. Raven could only stare puzzled as she watched the scene before her. The tall man had finished playing with the baby girl as she was yawning small mews and her eyes looked droopy. _

"_It seems you tired her out, Jack." The woman laughed as he handed her the girl. Sarah watched the babies face intently as if searching for any sign of distress. "Oh Raven, you look so much like your father." But she didn't look at Paul; the woman looked at the tall man with a genuine look only a mother could have. Raven's eyes went wide and her knees buckled making her stumble backwards into a thicket. No, no, no. She shook her head as she pulled her scraped hands out of thorns. _

"_Did you hear that?" It was the man, Jack. Raven covered her mouth as she pulled her body close and tried to hide in a small opening. She could hear two of the four coming closer. Tears started to fall one by one down her cheeks hitting the dead grass. _

_Sarah got up and put an arm on both men. "It's probably nothing, a rabbit maybe." She led both back to where the woman was sitting and all gathered as the baby girl started to awaken from her very short nap. Paul looked at a watch that was on his wrist and sighed. "Time already?" He nodded. Both the man and woman's happy expressions changed almost simultaneously. Paul and Sarah suddenly looked awkward as the woman handed the girl over to Sarah. "I'm sorry. I wish you could see Raven everyday like we do." The woman bit her lip trying to hold back tears. She kissed the baby, _no Raven_, on the head a single tear falling on the baby and sliding down the infants cheek. It was stained blue. Raven gasped again as she could see from her hiding place that the baby had the same tear shaped mark on her cheek, the new one aside. She couldn't believe it. As the man and woman disappeared back through the mausoleum, Sarah and Paul wrapped the girl in her velvet red blanket. Raven sat back against a rock behind her and let tears run as she saw her parents, who she thought were her parents, leave the cemetery. She brought her sore, scraped, and cut hands to view. She had no clue how she was going to explain this. What she had a harder time comprehending was how did she just see her parents, an unknown couple, and herself as a baby. Time travel wasn't real and she wasn't going to argue for it. But that was the farthest thing in her mind at that moment. All she could comprehend as the air became suddenly freezing and she felt more alone then ever, was that the people she'd been with all her life were _not_ her family. The people she had just seen were and she had no idea how to get back to Alexander and Becky. _

_She felt suffocated as she climbed from her hiding place and crawled to where the bench was. Her tears had stopped and she felt hollow and confused. Why had she been lied to all this time? Didn't they think she should know the truth? The hollowness was replaced with frustration; she wanted to go home, but didn't know how. She wanted to leave this place and hide away in the mansion with Alexander's arms wrapped protectively around her. She let out a loud yell as she let the anger take over her._

**_Meanwhile_**

As Raven's body fell, Alexander reached out with inhuman speed. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her limp body to his chest. "Is she okay?" "What's wrong with her?" "Did she just faint?"

"Raven!" A crowd had formed upon seeing the town freak faint. The last worried voice came from two people: Alexander and the ever annoying Trevor Mitchell. Trevor had just pulled up in his expensive car as Raven fell. He came to crouch near the two Goths. Alexander glowered at him before picking Raven up and hurried her back to his car. He had no clue what to do but he was sure that Raven's parents would no for some odd reason. "Monster boy! What the hell did you do to her!" Trevor quickly followed behind. Alexander put Raven in the back seat as carefully as he could. He checked her neck to make she still had a pulse and was breathing. She did have a pulse but it was terribly faint and her breathing felt erratic.

"Back off Trevor." Matt said stopping the soccer snob. Becky climbed into the sleek car and put Raven's head in her lap. Alexander ignored all the stares and whispers as he got into his car, started it up, and got the hell out of there.

"Alexander slow down!" He had gone way over the speed limit and Becky has having a hard time keeping Raven still as her breathing started to come faster. But he only half slowed down. He couldn't let anything happen to Raven and after that horrid dream he had only a few nights ago... His high focused ears could hear her heart start to slow alarming him further. They arrived at the Madison residence in just under 12 minutes. As fast as he could Alexander took Raven out of the car and was up the porch steps and through the once locked door.

"Hey what gives?" It was Billy who had been on the couch playing a DS game. "Alexander? What happened to Raven?" He moved out of the way as Alexander put Raven down on the couch.

"Please get your parents. Now." He hurried Billy, who nodded and ran down the hallway.

Becky had been hovering over Raven, wanting to help her however she could but not knowing how. Raven's face was looking gaunt and her eyes twitched as if she were having a hard time seeing something. She sat at Raven's feet taking her best friends hand. Raven's skin was cold to the touch and her veins seemed more prominent against her translucent skin. Becky traced them as she made sure a pulse still beat; she almost jumped away when she noticed little marks and cuts were forming. Ugly red lines and needle thin holes decorated her flesh looking like she had fallen into a thorn bush. Drips of blood started to run and Becky pulled her scarf from her neck, putting pressure trying to stop the blood. It was then did she notice Alexander had stepped out the still open door, covering his mouth and nose as he went. She didn't bother to call out for him as she tried to concentrate on not fainting herself. Raven started to shake as Billy finally came down the hall with his parents on his heels.

"What happened?!" Sarah came to stand next to her daughter pulling strands of ebony hair from her face. "Becky, what happened?" Sarah didn't bother to look at the farm girl and took Raven's hands She pulled the fabric off of them and started to examine the cuts.

Suddenly fear and tension hit Becky and uncontrollable tremors took over her. "I-I don't know! She hadn't been feeling good for a long time and tonight she wasn't telling us when she was feeling worse. She was saying that she was going to the doctors right when she fainted. And these weird cuts came from no where, and, and…" She felt lightheaded herself as everything came at once.

"Billy take Becky to the kitchen please." Paul finally spoke up as he came from the bathroom with bandages and alcohol rub. Billy did as told leading a stunned Becky out of the room. Just then, Alexander reappeared looking like he was fighting an inner battle. "Alexander, it would be best if you weren't here too." But the vampire wouldn't move.

He instead came to kneel by Sarah. "With all do respect sir, I can't do that." His eyes wondered from Raven's bleeding hands to her face that had little streaks down it. Had she been crying in his absence? Both Sarah and Paul gave weary and frightened expressions as they proceeded to bandage Raven's hands and wipe her face. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" It dawned on Alexander as he asked that neither had called for a doctor and didn't bother asking for assistance. Had this happened before?

"Alexander you must try to understand that there is a reason, one we can't share with you, that Raven has been acting weird and been sick. Please don't ask any more questions." Paul put a hand on the goth boy's shoulder; he respected Raven's parents too much to deny their wishes but he couldn't listen this time. His love, the only one who seemed to understand him more than his own family, was lying almost lifeless while he could do nothing.

He shook his head. "No. What is wrong with Raven? Tell me, please." Both parents were taken slightly aback at his tone but looked almost defeated. Sarah didn't want to tell, in fear of losing Raven forever and breaking the trust and agreement she and Paul had made. But it didn't seem like there was anyway out of it as Raven suddenly opened her eyes and let out a shriek.

**So thoughts? I haven't seen someone faint, personally I have myself, before so it was weird writing it. Oh and someone asked me why it was called 'Raven's Ballad'. Well here's my explanation: Sally's Song, Jack's Lament, and Raven's Ballad. Get it? **

**Review and you get a cookie or can borrow one of the characters!**

**Raven: So your pimping us out now?**

**LBVBA: It's what you get for putting me in the 'Emo' Corner!**

**Raven:...fair enough.**

**Both: REVIEW!**


	8. I Can't

**So before I had said that this was going to be 10 chapters, but it's most likely going to be more. My longest story yet! So here's the next installment of Raven's Ballad!**

**Chapter.8**

**I Cant…**

"Raven calm down!" Sarah Madison grabbed a hold of her daughters shoulders trying to stop her cries. Raven was wild, her arms shaking trying to pry off the bandages and her eyes shifting quickly like she had just been running from a slasher-movie killer. Her bloodshot eyes stopped and went wide when they stopped on Sarah and Paul, both trying to soothe her with words. She reacted too fast for anyone but Alexander to see. She had fallen off the couch and pressed herself against the wall near the TV. Her breathing was hard and Raven tried to stop the endless tremors. Alexander was cautious as he knee shuffled to Raven, his movements slow and careful. He reached out a hand and touched her hands, stopping her from removing the bandaging. Alexander tried not to think about how she was acting; like a newly created vampire after first awakening.

"Raven?" And just like that, her eyes cleared, her movements stopped, and breathing returned to normal. "I'm just going to touch you neck, okay?" She nodded. Her put his fingers where her jugular would be and let out a relieved sigh when he felt her pulse. Paul and Sarah on the other hand were having internal panic attacks. Why had their daughter reacted like a feral cat when she saw them but completely normal when Alexander spoke? The first thing in Sarah's mind was that she had figured it out and Raven was blaming them for everything. She knew this day was coming. "Please don't ever scare me like that again, please love." Alexander was filled with compassion as Raven smiled her usual smile and nodded.

"Sorry." Her voice was scratchy and Raven was taken aback by how she sounded. She shook her head brushing it off and held out a hand so she could stand. Paul and Sarah were amazed as they watched Raven go from feral to completely calm and standing in as little as a minute. Raven looked at them for a minute before every thing from her dream, or was it a vision, appeared before her eyes in a montage that was gone as quickly as it had appeared. She had to look away from them because of discomfort and shame that washed over her. Sarah noticed and felt the same feelings in her chest. Paul forced a smile on his face and took the medical things from the couch and carried them to the kitchen where Becky and Billy were peeking slightly over the corner. Raven noticed her little brother who was giving her the weirdest of looks; she felt horrible when she saw her best friend's expression. Becky looked horror struck as she walked carefully from the corner of the kitchen to the front door. She couldn't look at Raven as she opened the door and left into the cold air. Raven could see Matt's car outside and wondered if she'd called him while Raven was…indisposed. Her heart sank as she watched the other girl walk off her porch and Raven wasn't sure it was almost a final good bye. Alexander could see the ache on her face and tried to wrap her in a comforting hug but she shook her head stopping him in his tracks. Instead Raven tried to look at her parents without remembering her dream. "What happened?" She cleared her throat again when she heard how scratchy and low her voice was. "I remember talking to Becky at Hasties about going to the doctors or something then…" She quickly debated whether or not to tell about her dream. "Nothing. It felt like I woke up a minute later." The lie spilt out of her lips as smooth as velvet; it would be believable if Sarah and Paul knew better.

"You don't remember seeing anything…in a dream I mean." Sarah quickly added seeing both teens skeptical face. Raven shook her immediately. Sarah could see the guilt glimmer in Raven's eyes but decided not to press for it. An awkward silence settled over the four of them until Billy walked in and tried to break it.

"Hey Alexander can you and Raven help me with Rock Band?" Both let out a sigh and were up the stairs following Billy in less than a minute. Once out of ear shot Billy turned on them. "You owe me!" He whispered before entering his room and shutting it behind him. Raven quickly pulled Alexander into her room, careful to shut the door silently. Raven sat herself on the edge of her bed while Alexander stayed standing. Neither knew what to say; Alexander was having flashbacks of his dream while thinking of how Raven was acting when unconscious, so desperately trying not to connect the two. Raven felt an inner turmoil start within as she tried to decide whether or not to tell Alexander. She was no good at keeping things from him, the past was evidence of such. She took a deep breathe and covered her face with her hands. She could feel the sting of phantom cuts on her hands and was almost in awe when she saw that they were actually there.

"How did I get these?" She looked up at him and lifted her hands. Alexander bit on his bottom lip before sitting next to her.

He took one of her hands and adjusted the bandaging, trying not to think of the scent of dried blood. "When you were…unconscious," he forced the word out, "they just formed. I don't know how but your parents weren't worried much. Which worried me more." He let go of her hand and placed his on her cheek. He rubbed away the little smears of eyeliner that ran under her eyes. Raven let out a small sigh and made the decision to tell.

"I think I know how they got there." Alexander looked at her skeptically. "When I wasn't awake," she couldn't make herself say asleep because it felt too real, "I did have a dream but I didn't want my parents to know." He still didn't understand and waited for her to continue. "In the dream I was in a thorn bush and kept scraping my hands against thorns. I don't know how but maybe it did happen…?" It wasn't a total lie. Alexander tried to hide his expression, only once had he heard of something like that. Raven sat on her bed and he followed, both silent.

He looked at her earnestly and nodded. "Okay." He took her hands in his and held them close to his chest. He didn't want what was happening to her to occur, it only made his suspicions worse and he couldn't think of them with Lillian being around; she'd surely find out. So he made up his mind. "Raven there's something I must tell you but I don't think you will like it." Raven met his eyes and gave a weary look.

"What do you mean?" Her hair fell in her face and she pulled her hands back to brush it aside. Alexander looked at his empty hands and felt the guilt hit him. "Alexander what is going on?" Raven lifted his face to meet her eyes again.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Do you remember when I told you about my 'cousin' and 'aunt'?" She nodded slowly. "Well…they don't exist. The child I was talking to Constantine about…" He couldn't stop himself even though half of his mind was screaming at him to stop talking. "The child has no relation to me or vampire kind for that matter." Raven stood abruptly and narrowed her eyes. Alexander could see in her hazy green eyes that she knew something but wasn't about to say.

"Then who is it?" Her voice was so even but shook with defiance.

He stood. "The child…Please try to believe me." He put his hands on her shoulders. "The child is an abomination. Created out of death and bone itself." Raven took a step back. She tried to not remember anything from her dream. She shook her head trying to erase the vivid thoughts. "The child is the Heir to a place called Halloween Town. A fictional place, yes to a child's dreams but it does exist. The child, he or she, must be destroyed. And that is partly why I came here. The Heir is most likely a male however." Raven took another step back.

"I thought the Maxwell's drove you here."

Alexander nodded. "They did. But when my father found out this is where I was to be he gave me a task. That task was to find the Heir, he or she is speculated to live here. And…" He took a deep breathe. Alexander was either about to have the weight of the world off of himself or loose the one thing that meant more than his immortality.

Raven lifted her eyebrows. "And what?" Her breathing became slightly uneven but she ignored the pain that built in her chest.

"And the Heir must be stopped. By any means." Raven knew what he meant. And she believed him. Was the child she'd seen in her dream the Heir? No, her parents hadn't had any other children before her. But then…No impossible. He had said the Heir was a male…but what if it was a girl? Raven didn't even think as she reacted. Something clicked and she was out of her room, down the stair case, and standing in front of her parents as they sat on the couch picking up little scraps of gauze.

"Oh Raven." Sarah whispered. She noticed that her daughter looked ready to kill and was almost scared. "What is it?" Sarah stood and looked down at Raven. Her heart broke as she saw the betrayal in her eyes.

Raven glowered. "You've been lying to me, haven't you?"

**Dun-dun-duuuuh! Whatcha all think? Next chapter will be up in…oh give a week or two? And sorry for it being the shortest chapter yet! **

**Raven: So we aren't being pimped out this time?**

**LBVBA: Oh that reminds me! If you review you can have any character, but no cookie. Since no one reviewed the last chapter!**

**Raven: damn. **

**Both: REVIEW!**


	9. Truth Hurts Doesn't It?

***pops head out of rabbit hole* Oh hey guys! I'd come out but…yeah too short to reach the top. Anyways I love how this story is longer than a few chapters and I actually like writing for it. So I present to you all the 9****th**** chapter of Raven's Ballad!**

**Chaper.9**

**Truth Hurts Doesn't It?**

_*Previously on Raven's Ballad*_

"_Oh Raven." Sarah whispered. She noticed that her daughter looked ready to kill and was almost scared. "What is it?" Sarah stood and looked down at Raven. Her heart broke as she saw the betrayal in her eyes._

_Raven glowered. "You've been lying to me, haven't you?" _

"Well?" Raven could see the pain in Sarah's eyes and knew she was right. "I'm not really a Madison, am I?" Sarah couldn't look her in the eyes anymore and had to look to the side. Raven had a blanched expression. "I can't believe it." She looked at both her parents or who she thought were her parents. "You've both been lying to me all my life." Then everything she'd been told as a kid made sense; in order for her mom to have had her, Sarah had to have gotten pregnant at 18, not after college. It also explained why she didn't look like anyone in her family; she'd learned genetics and there wasn't a chance two brown hair and eye people, her parents, could have a green eye, black haired daughter. Not possible. School biology proved that one. "Why didn't you tell me?" She managed before all heads turned towards Alexander as he had descended the stairs and cleared his throat. Raven closed her eye briefly making her mind up and walked over to the vampire.

"Are you alright?" Alexander whispered to her as he wrapped an arm around her. Raven shook her head and bit her lip.

"Can I stay with you?" She looked up at him with watery eyes. Alexander felt his undead heart clench, how could he say no? He nodded and looked at her parents. Both seemed to have aged in the last few minutes and Alexander felt pity for them, they hadn't asked for this to happen and neither did Raven.

Alexander looked back down at his Goth love. "Get what you want to take and we'll go." He kissed her forehead and let her frail body go. Raven nodded again and went to her room, an audible '_click'_ sounded as her door closed. Alexander met the weary faces of Sarah and Paul Madison. Neither looked like the loving parents Raven had grown up with. He crossed his arms. "You should tell her everything before we leave and not just about her being adopted."

Sarah was stunned. How could he have known, Alexander an 18 year old boy their daughter had only known a year. He couldn't know anything…could he? "What do you mean, Alexander? This is a family thing, you don't need to worry." Alexander couldn't help himself as he smirked and his fangs flashed just slightly.

"I know more than you think, Mrs. Madison." An understanding was in his voice, Sarah tried to process what that meant as she watched Raven come back down the stairs with her school bag and duffel slung around her shoulders. Alexander took the bags and led Raven out the door. Raven felt ice cover her heart as she ignored her parent's stares, she hoped Billy wouldn't think bad of her for leaving. Raven didn't bother saying goodbye as she shut the door behind her. She didn't even register climbing into the sleek black Mercedes or even Alexander driving. All Raven could think of is that she had been lied to her whole life. And she might be the Heir Alexander had to kill.

The sun was beginning the rise, Raven had been up all night against Alexander's protest. She couldn't sleep, she didn't want to risk another dream. She couldn't handle it. The truth…it hurt. A lot. _Is this how Luna felt all these years?_ The thought shocked her. She hadn't thought of her pixie nemesis in a long time and didn't understand why she was now. Raven pushed the thoughts aside and stared out the window. Even though she terribly wanted to be a vampire she could still appreciate a sunrise. The colors had always enticed her, pulling her into a dreamy world full of every and anything. Raven sighed as she felt an arm pull her body from Alexander's mattress.

"If you aren't going to sleep during the night then you need to at least sleep during the day." She let Alexander pull her towards the small room in the attic and near his coffin. He dropped her limp hands as he opened the coffin lid and turned to look at her. Raven looked exhausted, her eyes droopy and her beautiful mouth was down turned. He lifted her face and could see she was emotionally drained. Alexander pulled her close and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Her skin was cold but warmed as the slightest of blushes dusted her cheeks and lips. "Don't worry. Things will be sorted out soon, I promise." He lead her into the velvet covered coffin and lay them down. He could only hope he could keep the promise.

It was hours later, probably around 1 or 2 when Alexander heard an irritating buzzing noise outside the casket. He carefully opened the coffin lid as he made sure Raven didn't awaken. She didn't even stir as he climbed out. Alexander found the owner of the buzzing noise was his phone. A number he didn't recognize flashed but opened it anyways. "Hello?" His voice was shaky as he bit a yawn back.

"Ah now you answer, Sterling." He went stiff. A chuckle from the other line came and he narrowed his eyes. "Something has happened with our little Raven, am I right?" Jagger. Alexander's hands balled into fists.

"She isn't your anything, she's_ mine_." He growled. "What do you want, Jagger?" His tone was less than polite.

Another laugh. "Oh nothing but to ask how Raven is doing." Alexander hated how _his_ love's name sounded with Jagger's tongue. "I hear that she has come into a little…family issues, am I right?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Well I would just like to give my condolences on her mishap. It's a shame when _family _is less than dependent."

"What are you getting at?"

"Oh just that you should be very careful that no one finds out your little girlfriends true heritage. Especially your parents even if they _did_ love her." An annoying dial tone replaced his voice and Alexander was rigid. Jagger knew…He knew…And was willing to tell. Alexander dropped the phone as he looked at Raven's sleeping form. She couldn't be…just couldn't.

**Yeah I know it's short but I'm tired and not really in writing mood. Hope you all liked it though!**

**Raven: I'm confused. Am I or aren't I?**

**LBVBA: *whispers in her ear***

**Raven: Ooohh now I get it! But if I am or not shouldn't you make it clear?**

**LBVBA: Writer 101, it builds suspense.**

**Raven: Whatever and why haven't the reviewers -cough- McKenzie, Alice-cough- asked for a character yet?**

**LBVBA: I don't know, ask them! -points- 'Cause I'm not giving out cookies anymore.**

**Both: REVIEW!**


	10. No, No, No!

***pops head out of rabbit whole* God I am short. Anyways! Bonjour mon amis! Welcome to the tenth chapter of Raven's Ballad. Now I got asked if this will have a sequel, I can't say yes or no to that. I'd like to have one but I don't know what I would write about. Plus I think I should end this story before I make one, right?**

**So read on!**

**Remember:**

_Italics _**= Dream**

**It's starting out as Alexander, btw. **

**Chapter.10**

**No, No, No!**

He hadn't slept at all. Not even when Raven woke up and told him to go back to sleep, doing so herself. Alexander looked blankly at the roof of his casket only listening to the sound of Raven's even breathing. He would look down at her to make sure she was still there and tighten his hold on her. Alexander had to face the truth even if his common sense was yelling to deny it. But he knew he couldn't for much longer. But he had to tell Raven, it was her life at stake after all.

She shifted as Alexander thought her name. "Hmm, Alexander?" Raven made a face as she opened her eyes to see her boyfriend staring back at her. "Have you been awake this whole time?" Alexander shook his head but she knew better. "You need sleep, we can't both be exhausted." She yawned at the last word. Raven reached a hand out to touch just underneath Alexander's eyes tracing the little tired bruises that were blossoming. She didn't think anyone could look so amazing tired but he proved wrong as usual. "What time is it?" She yawned again and mentally berated herself.

Alexander opened the lid and sat up. "The sun set about an hour ago so six." He unwrapped his arms from her and stretched, tiny pops came from his back. "You slept the whole day away, love." He bent and kissed her lips softly. Raven eagerly returned the show of affection with a smile hinting at her mouth.

"I would love to wake up like this every night." Raven pulled back and rested her head on her boyfriends bare chest. She couldn't see a thing in the closet room but she didn't care, she could be like this forever…

Alexander chuckled in agreement. "I would love to do nothing more than lay here for eternity but the living, and Jameson, await us." Raven groaned and followed him out of the coffin. Alexander watched as she moved, making sure she was the same Raven and wouldn't change into something. Paranoia was becoming his number one emotion now. He pulled on a black t-shirt with a 'No Smoking' sign on it and plain black jeans.

Raven on the other hand was timid. She could feel her boyfriends eyes watching her and she tried not to focus on it. She should tell him everything, her dreams, suspicions, everything but couldn't bring herself to. She couldn't handle it if she were right and she was the Heir. But it wasn't a girl, not a girl, not a girl, she repeated over and over. "Not a girl." The words left her mouth before she knew what she was saying and felt Alexander look right at her face. "I need to get dressed." She said quickly before he could say anything to her. Raven didn't meet his eyes as Alexander left. Alexander heard the slip up but didn't respond. Everything Raven was doing was confirming.

"Master Alexander." He heard the voice down the hall and walked to meet his Halfling butler. Alexander looked down the stair case to see Jameson holding out the landline phone. He hadn't even heard the phone ring. He walked down the stairs and took the phone hesitantly. "I'm sorry." Jameson left without saying anything more. What had he meant?

"Hello?" Alexander cradled the phone to his face. He looked at where the butler had stood and narrowed his eyes.

"Nice of you to answer, son." Alexander swallowed as his father's voice came from the receiver. "I received an interesting phone call that awakened your mother and I. I'm sure you know what it is about." Alexander felt his heart shatter and turn to dust as he listened. Jagger had told.

"Father I can explain if you would let me-," But the older vampire cut him off.

"Alexander I know you know who the Heir is and won't tell anyone. I don't see why you wouldn't, you know it is for the best." _Because it's Raven, _He wanted to scream. Because he loved her, adored her, she was everything to him now. He couldn't believe his father was letting it go so easily. "Especially since Raven is there. Don't you want to protect her?" Wait. "If you don't kill him for our kind then at least for her, son." So he didn't know.

"I can assure you I don't know who the Heir is yet." He tried to keep his voice even, Constantine could always tell when he was lying. But he was only half lying, wasn't he? "What call did you receive? I have only spoken to Jameson and one of our kind about it." Again, only half a lie.

Constantine sighed from the other end. "At noon for humans I got a call from your old friend Lillian. Care to explain why?" What. Alexander's eyes widened. Why would Lillian be calling his father, she didn't like the vampire, and where had she gotten his number? Alexander cleared his throat. Distantly he could hear Raven leaving his room and almost ended the call there.

"I have no idea why she would call. Constantine I have to go." He ended the call, forgetting what Jameson said, with a press of a button and just in time for Raven to come to stand next to him. The look in her heavy-lined eyes gave away. "My father," He smiled down at her, "He wanted to check up on me. On you too." Might as well make the lie a believable one. If he weren't eternally damned already Alexander was sure his soul was going to burn for all the lies he was spouting.

"That's nice. Are your parents coming back?" Raven tried to hide her suspiciousness with eagerness and it worked. She even smiled hoping he wouldn't know that she had heard his side of the conversation.

Alexander felt a little relieved and shook his head. "I'm sure my mother would love to come back but they can not. Now how about something to eat?" Raven's stomach grumbled in agreement and she clasped her arms around her torso in a vain attempt to silence it. Alexander chuckled and took her hand and led her to the dining room. "Jameson is out for the night so we have the mansion and anywhere you want to go to ourselves." Raven felt a slight bit of blush turn to her face and was happy her makeup covered the embarrassing feature. "What would you like to eat?" He led her to the kitchen, which Raven had never been in. the macabre look extended to this part of the house as well but there were little features that reminded her of a grandmothers house. Well duh, it had been Alexander's grandmother's home once. Alexander looked out of place as he waited for her to answer. She had no clue. "Or we could go to Hastie's if you wanted."

"No." The word came out less than a second after her said that. Raven didn't want to go back there, she couldn't face anyone right now. Alexander's face flashed a small hint of hurt before Raven shook her head. "Not after last time, I'm sorry. How about we just order pizza?" Alexander nodded and reached for the landline again. Raven walked out to the drawing room. Then stopped. Something felt off from the last time she'd been there. Raven narrowed her eyes and looked around, what was it? A prickling sensation built on the back of her neck and she spun 360. "Who's there?" Her voice was barely above a whisper as she looked. The drawing room wasn't that big so she didn't understand why she couldn't see who was in it. If there was anyone there. Something moved in the corner of her eye and she slowly turned to face it. But there wasn't anything. What. The. Hell. Raven walked slowly toward the velvet red chair she always occupied and looked around the room once more before resting her head back. Even if she had slept a day away she felt exhausted and wasn't protesting when her eyes drooped.

"_Raven, wake up honey." Hmm? "Raven, come on it's time to go see them." See who? "Come on sweetie." It was her mom. Or Sarah. Raven opened her eyes and let out a groan. Another dream. Once again, they were in the cemetery but it wasn't cloudy and dark like last time. The sun was out making the graveyard look almost alive as Raven's eyes focused. She was in the same bush as before but there weren't any thorns to cut into her. Raven shook her head letting a little wave of vertigo took over her body. Her mouth felt like cotton and mind foggier than a winter's night. _

"_Mom?" Raven stopped mid stance. The voice she heard…was her own? It was so light and kind it made her do a double take. She couldn't remember when her voice sounded like so and she almost didn't believe it was her. But it was and she looked at her lithe miniature self sitting with her parent's on the same bench as before. The girl couldn't have been more than five or six. Raven almost tripped on a headstone as she watched the three. Raven kept her eyes on Sarah, the woman's stomach looked round and Raven figured she was pregnant with Billy. She flinched as the familiar sound of creaking wood came from a mausoleum, the same as before. Raven crouched behind another tombstone as she tried to come closer to look at the woman and man again. But instead she noticed something else. The little girl with Sarah and Paul, who she thought was herself, _wasn't_. The child didn't seem to have obvious signs of a gender even if it was dressed as a girl. Raven fell back as the child seemed to turn right to look at her. The child resembled her, with midnight hair that traveled to her shoulders and green eyes that flashed but that was almost it. This child had skin so pale it was almost blue and little etchings at the edge of their perfect mouth; they looked like stitches. Raven gasped and felt just the hint of nauseous hit her. This proved she wasn't the Heir and felt sickly happy but that meant her parents still had lied, they even admitted it. And if she wasn't the Heir then where were they? And why couldn't Raven tell if this child was a boy or girl? Had her parents disguised the boy as a girl or was it a girl? It was frustrating. Was this how Alexander was feeling trying to find them? She sat back up on her heels to watch. Raven focused on the emerging bodies and watched closely. The same woman and man. Now she was certain these were the parents of the child. They had to be. "Mommy, Daddy!" The child squealed running towards the two. The figures met the child half way and the woman dropped the grab the child. The child only giggled and wrapped their arms around them. Raven had the urge to run over and take the child's place but held herself. But then Raven noticed something else. The foreign woman's stomach was round too. Oh god. Raven didn't even bother covering her mouth to hide her astonishment. Nothing, nothing was how she thought._

"_Oh Raven, honey we are so happy to see you." The man's voice was clearer this time. Raven watched still peering. The child was looking at her again and Raven felt a chill run through her spine. That look could send soldiers running. Raven wanted to run forward, grab the child, and shake them asking who they were but she held back again. _

"_We have a surprise." The woman, wasn't her name Sally, took the child's small pale hands and put them to her stomach. "This is your little brother." This time Raven didn't have time to catch herself and fell onto her knees almost right in front of the group. None of them seemed to notice but the child who simply smiled. Raven scrambled back, her knees feeling bruised and bleeding, to a tombstone. They couldn't see her but could hear her. Quietly she came to stand near them looking closely at the foreign man and woman. Who were they and why did they seem so familiar. _

"_Mommy can I name him?" Denial tried to edge into Raven's mind but she had to face it. She knew this man and woman and the child. "My mouth hurts too." She pointed to the stitch like marks, Raven felt slightly revolted as she watched the man pull at the stitches and they came undone, little strings in his hand after. He did the same to the other side and the girl smiled a broad smile. Raven bit back the bile in her mouth and felt coughs and spasms trying to take her over. Now Raven saw it. Of course she knew the child, it was _**her**. _With the stitching gone there as no mistaking it. _

_Raven started to shake her head violently. "No, no, no. no." Her words came out as slurs at first, she felt like she'd forgotten to speak. This time all of the group's eyes looked at her. "Not you, not you." Raven looked at the child, fear, confusion, and hate built in her. "I'm not an abomination, not a monster. I'm not. Your someone else, someone who is a monster. Not me, not me." Her words came out garbled as her eyesight started to go hazy and she felt herself falling into darkness again. _Not her, _was all she could make herself think.  
_

**A/N: Sorry if it is confusing, ****I had to make myself ****write this. **

**Raven: trust me, it's been a hard week. I mean she made two people pregnant in this chapter, it was rough. **

**LBVBA: Thanks for that. Anyways, the story will really pick up after this. I hope to have it finished by the middle of March. **

**Raven: what was the "**it was her**" thing about? Copying movies now?**

**LBVBA: Glad you asked. What I meant could be taken two ways, two directions the story could go. **Her** could mean Raven or someone Raven knows. Who knows?**

**Both: So review!**


	11. You

**A/N: Here is the…11****th****! Chapter of Raven's Ballad! We have surpassed 10 and that is an accomplishment for me! Hope I'm confusing you guys, it's my job after all. On we go!**

**Chapter inspired by Lost It All by Black Veil Brides. **

**Chapter.11**

**You**

Alexander walked into the room to see Raven rubbing her eyes, evidently smearing her make up a bit. He narrowed his eyes. "Did you fall asleep again?" Raven only nodded and kept her eyes down and away from him but he saw the bloodshot irises for a second. Something was wrong but that had been something everyone knew by now. Raven sniffled a bit feeling a chill wrap around her like a vice. She was lost in thought thinking of her dream again and was slightly happy Alexander couldn't read minds. She gnawed on her bottom lip and finally looked to Alexander who was still staring at her.

"Yeah I fell asleep." She muttered finally answering him. Alexander moved closer and put a hand on her cheek and another on her forehead. Raven looked at him skeptically. "What are you doing?"

Alexander only smiled lightly. "I saw it on a television show once. This girl was sleeping so often and doctors couldn't find out what was wrong with her until they took her temperature. She had a high fever and her body was giving out fighting an infection but you don't have a fever." Raven's cheeks flushed giving a feverish look, a laugh escaping her and Alexander dropped his hands. "I figured I could at least make you laugh, love." They both laughed this time and Alexander leaned in to kiss Raven. An annoying sound that was a knock on the door made them break apart. Alexander disappeared around the corner promising to be back with food. Raven nodded slightly aggravated. She didn't want to be left alone anymore and didn't want to sleep but fatigue seemed to be growing on her like a second skin. Another wave of sleep hit her but Raven knew better and didn't close her eyes. It was more exhausting fighting sleep than the dreams were. Speaking of, Raven was slowly making up her mind to tell Alexander. She had to tell someone or she might go mad.

It felt like an eternity later that Raven noticed Alexander hadn't returned. What was going on? Who would be at the door? Raven tried to stand feeling her legs try to slip from under her but she kept pushing. Mumbled voices came from down the hall and Raven almost tripped on the rug in the middle of it. She recognized Alexander's deep voice and thought the other was familiar. Raven pushed her legs forward more and peered down the rest of the hall past the staircase. She could see Alexander's back and what looked like a pink mush in front of him. She squinted and made out the figure. Oh just what she needed. There in the Benson Hill Mansion doorway was none other than Luna Maxwell, twirling her baby pink hair around a pale finger. Raven almost gagged.

"Oh there she is!" The voice she dreaded to hear came closer as Luna had pushed Alexander out of the way and came hurtling towards Raven. Raven was ready to be in a cat fight if she had to but was instead crushed by the pixie vampire's arms enveloping her in a hug. "I am so sorry about your family!" Luna gushed and Raven froze not bothering to return the hug. Raven's widened eyes met Alexander's and he looked as clueless as she did.

"Um thank you, Luna." She pried the girls thin arms and body from her. "How did you find out thought?" Raven held Luna a arms length as she looked at her; Luna being nice only meant one thing. She was getting to Alexander again. Or she was infected with a virus. Luna only continued to have a face of concern making Raven feel even more uneasy.

"It must be hard, being kicked out like that. My family never did that to me, even when I was human." There it was. Luna had come to rub it in. Raven dropped her arms from the pixie girls shoulders and tried not to sigh.

"I wasn't kicked out." She half glared. "I left on my own." The three of them stood there awkwardness settling like a thick blanket. Another knock broke the stare off the two girls were having and Alexander opened the door. Thankfully this time it was the food not an unwelcome vampire. Alexander paid and took the pizza into the dining room. When he disappeared out of sight Luna leaned in close, a devilish smirk on her bubble gum lips.

She gave an almost genuine look. "Be careful who you trust, Raven. It may seem like I hate you but to be honest," she cocked her head, "I actually feel more pity for you than hate." She turned and skipped into the dining room. Raven felt her eyes water, the thought of someone pitying made her feel worse than before. It made her feel worthless.

**A/N: It's very short, I know. No excuse other than I don't wanna write this chapter. It does get better from here though!**

**Raven: you've been saying that since like chapter five.**

**LBVBA: You try writing this! **

**Raven: touché.**

**Both: Review!**


	12. Good At Running

**A/N: Welcome once more to the twelfth chapter of Raven's Ballad. I've been thinking and once this is over there will most likely be a sequel. I have a vague idea of what it'd be about. **

**Excited?**

**Chapter.12**

**I'm Good at Running**

To say the next few days were awkward, stressful, and annoying were just the tip of the iceberg. Luna had decided to stick around even though neither Raven or Alexander wanted her there. Alexander was becoming more distant from Raven as Constantine started calling frequently to check up on the progress. And Raven…Each night she was plagued by sleepless nightmares, or were they memories, making her slightly paranoid and looking like death warmed up. Many times one of the two vampires would catch Raven slowly dosing off and either rouse her or try to take her to Alexander's room to sleep. Her days had become her nights and vice versa. No one was worried about her attending school; when Paul and Sarah called to ask Raven to come home or to at least attend school Raven would just pass the phone onto Luna, who had become a shadow now. This made Raven more weary, Becky hadn't even been that attached.

The thought of her best friend made Raven even more depressed. She hadn't spoken to Becky since the night at Hastie's and she wasn't answering her calls. Raven sighed, sitting in the same chair she'd come to occupy lately. If she were much of a reader she was sure she would have finished half the books in the drawing room out of pure boredom.

"Raven?" She weary met Alexander's eyes. She almost didn't care about the concern they showed but still made a smile come onto her face. "Is there something you aren't telling me?" Raven could have asked the same of him for how distant he'd been. Instead she shook her head and continued to play with her lace glove. She didn't have anything else to do. Alexander came closer and bent down next to her. "Would you like to go do something? Maybe even go to Hipsterville?" Raven liked the sound of it but bit her lip. She didn't know what she wanted to do anymore. Aside from just being told the truth and being able to tell.

She bit her lip looking down for a second. "Alexander if I asked you to be honest with me, you would right?" She studied his face for any reaction. He nodded slowly and Raven returned to gnawing on her black lip.

"Why do you ask?" He took her hand and tried to make her look at him. Right when Raven was about to open her mouth another voice stopped her.

"Alexander! Could I talk to you? Pretty please!" Luna flitted into the room looking the epitome of Lolita. Raven just glared continuing to question her rivals motives for being here the past week. Alexander got up to leave leaving here there. Raven couldn't help but let the frustration and jealousy get to her. The second she heard Alexander and Luna go out of ear shot she left the drawing room and raced down the hallway. Her boots made more noise on the wooden floor than she would have liked but that was the farthest thing from her mind. She had been in the mansion, in pretty much the same room, for a week; she needed fresh air and sunlight. Quietly Raven opened the door hoping no one would hear. She wasn't met with the sun beams but instead a radiating glow from the moon. She still took it over the dim mansion lighting. Raven raced down the mansion steps, almost tripping on the last step and was happy to collapse onto the damp grass. A childish giggle came from her lips as her lungs took in the air. Something made this night feel off but she didn't acknowledge it. Instead she lay on her back enjoying the low lit moon. There weren't any noises other than the occasional car passing by. Raven close her eyes letting the exhaustion of her mind settle and she drifted somewhere between sleep and reality. But that was short lived as she heard voices from above her. Raven opened her eyes and turned slightly to see she was laying just to the left of one of the mansions windows. She could barely make out two people, Luna and Alexander, as their voices continued to rise. They were fighting? Raven crawled closer to the window and rest against the wooden house listening.

"Is that why you came? To spy for Jagger?" Huh? Raven knelt closer her eyes leveled with the window ledge. She could only see a curtain but still listened.

"Of course not!" Luna's voice was barely above it's normal sweet whisper. "Well maybe a bit but that is beside the point." Raven could see the pixie girl now and she was leaning against a table that was in the hall. Alexander stood across from her, his arms crossed making his already tall frame look menacing. Raven all but had her face plastered to the window trying to listen. "Can't I be concerned for the boy who left me at the alters' new girlfriend?" Raven rolled her eyes and slowly stood, her knees were cramping. "Besides I just wanted to see what would happen since her birthday is coming up. And she is hitting the big **1-7** right?" Oh. Raven had forgotten her birthday was coming up, so was Alexander's. Why hadn't he mentioned anything?

Alexander's voice made her look back. "It wouldn't matter. You shouldn't be here, no vampire should. I can handle this, handle her." His voice, she was so used to it being soft and warm, was no cold and heartless. "Her birthday is in two weeks, enough time for us to prepare and stop her before anyone realizes what she is." _What _she is_. _Raven dropped back to her knees. Shouldn't Alexander mean _who_ she is? Raven could hear them going on more but she didn't care. He had only said a few words but that was enough. A cold realization crept into her heart; Alexander didn't love her, that's the only way he could say any of that. Raven couldn't stand to be in that spot anymore. So she did the one thing she seemed to be good at. She ran.

Raven ran out the iron rusted gates, down the sidewalk, and as far as her legs would take her. Her breathing was labored, her chest and ribs were aching, and her mind was foggy. Raven didn't care where she ended up as long as it was far from the mansion. A small thought came into her mind: _Maybe she should go home_. The thought made Raven stop, almost tripping over a fire hydrant and let herself breathe. She had been at the mansion for over two weeks and hadn't spoken to anyone but Luna, Alexander, or Jameson. Her parents called at least twice every other day. They hadn't kicked her out, she left and now she was sure they'd let her come home if she'd only asked. Raven looked around for a street sign or something to tell her where she was but let out a groan when she realized she had ran farther than she thought. Raven was on the other side of town close to where Becky lived but terribly far from her house. She was too tired to run anymore. She shivered as she continued walking down the pavement. She could see a house up ahead and sighed happily when the familiarity of it registered. The sun just barely peeked over the horizon blinding Raven, she hadn't been awake to see the sun in two weeks and welcomed the warmth. She was happy that Becky and her family kept farm hours- they were, duh, farmers after all- and could see Mr. Miller coming out of the front door. Raven put her hands up vigorously shaking them to get his attention.

Becky's father was heading toward his pickup when he saw Raven. His immediately thought was she was some hoodlum about to attack but he quickly recognized Raven as she came closer. "What are you doing here, girl?" He called out pulling his jacket off himself. He wrapped it around Raven's shoulders seeing her shiver and almost blue from the cold. "I'll wake up Martha and you go on up to Rebecca's room." Raven nodded feeling some feeling return into her numb body. Mr. Miller led her into the house. The wooden floorboards creaked under Raven and she flinched. The sound reminded her of the mausoleum door. "Stay here." She nodded and saw the man disappear up a flight of stairs. Raven looked around the living room of the Miller's home. She couldn't remember the last time she was there but could see a few pictures she remembered. Most were of were of her and Becky in third grade. Had it been that long since she'd really been over? Too long. She took off Mr. Miller's sweater and hung it on a coat rack and walked more into the house. It seemed more…quant then the last time she was here. A feeling of peace seemed to be within it and she smiled liking it.

"Raven?" She turned to see her best friend's shocked face before she felt arms almost crush her already fragile body. "I didn't believe my dad but you are here." Becky squeezed her tighter making Raven have to hold her breath. Becky kept her in a crushing hug for what felt like an achy eternity. "Oh sorry." She let go. "Jeez Raven you're freezing." Raven bit her lip before trying to smile. Becky led Raven into the kitchen where she started to make hot chocolate. It wasn't something they both wanted but Raven was colder than a corpse and needed it. "Where the heck have you been? Everyone at school thought you got pregnant and ran off or joined the circus or…" Becky had to force the word out. "Died." Raven felt terrible as she drank from her hot cup; she could feel the numbness in her legs and hands subside.

"I was at the mansion." Her voice was slightly shaky. Her best and only friend had thought she was dead and she hadn't even bothered to call her. "The whole time I was at the mansion. With Alexander and…Luna." She bit back the vile in her throat and she actually thought about the two. The two weeks she'd been gone Alexander had done nothing but say sweet nothings to her and Luna had been there watching her. She really was a terrible person. "I am so sorry I didn't tell you, that I never called. I just thought you wouldn't want to talk to me because of what happened at Hastie's and I have been such a terrible friend, girl, person whatever I am!" She ended up hiccupping at the last few words. Becky was quick and pulled her friend into a hug. Raven missed this, missed hugging her friend and having comfort. She returned the hug letting her breathing even out and she took a deep breathe. "Do you think it's time I go home?" She wiped her eyes figuring she looked like hell. Becky smiled and nodded. "Give me a ride?"

"Of course. Let me get dressed and get you something warmer. And just remember, I don't own much black." Raven laughed and little and waited for Becky to get back from her room. She sat at the kitchen table looking at her hands; the scars there had all but faded and she couldn't believe she really was going to be going home. It felt way too long since she'd been. About five minutes later Becky came back down in warm clothes and a black object in her hands. "It's my mom's old sweater from two years ago. I think it'll fit you." Raven pulled the sweater on and it was almost as long as her skirt. They walked out to Becky's truck the feeling of a new morning had settled. "How did you get here Raven? I didn't hear a car and my dad said he found you wandering." Raven laughed a bit as she opened the door to her side.

She looked across to Becky. "Let's just say I'm good at running away."

**LBVBA: I remember when I use to be good at running away.**

**Raven: what happened? Mom lock you up?**

**LBVBA: No, just got tired of having things to runaway from. Anyways, how was it guys? I love the fact that there's more reviewers. It makes my day to see new reviews. **

**Raven: Whoa she's happy. Review so we can have Happy-Andi more!**


	13. Don't Speak

**A/N: Chapter 13...Wow I am surprised of myself. Usually I'd have given up by now or something. Well here it is! It is going to switch between p.o.v's. PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END.**

**Chapter inspired by Don't Speak by No Doubt.**

**Chapter. 13**

**Don't Speak**

Ever have to give yourself a mental pep talk? Or are so nervous you cant even form a clear sentence? Well imagine that about five hundred times worse and you can feel maybe half of what Raven felt at that moment. In her mind she had done one of he worst things she could do as a daughter, left the house without saying anything otherwise. She hadn't even answered one phone call. As she looked over at Becky, Raven felt like her best friend was gone even if she was right there. Raven rested her head against the seat and pulled the sweater tighter around her body with numb hands. The sun was in full view now and Raven guessed it was about 6 or 7 am. The fact she'd ran all night wasn't unfamiliar anymore but she was surprised it took her that long to finally leave the mansion.

"So what's been going on?" Becky finally broke the silence as she focused on the road, her knuckles paper white. "I mean you have been gone for two weeks." Her mousy voice was smaller as she made herself talk. Raven didn't know if she wanted to tell Becky anything but…she _needed_ to.

Raven closed her eyes briefly then opened them turning to her best friend. "I'll tell you at my house. I need to tell everyone at once." Becky nodded and continued the drive.

_Alexander's P.o.v._

Where was she? Where had she gone? It had only been a few hours, torturous hours, but he needed her back now. Raven had been fine and content at the mansion, or so he though. How did he not notice her slip out and leave him. How did he not hear her or see her? Because he was busy lying to Luna. Everyday she would bother him asking if he had a plan to get rid of Raven and end, in her words, "this nightmare". And everyday he would say he did but wouldn't tell her. In truth he was thinking of ways to get rid of Luna. The sun was up now so he couldn't go out and look for Raven even though he already knew where she'd be. Alexander laid in his coffin starring at the mahogany wood silently screaming at himself. Why had he said those things, why had he lied to her?

_Raven's P.o.v._

Becky pulled into the Madison's drive way and turned the engine off. Raven stayed in her seat not knowing what to do. Never had she felt this helpless and at her own home! Raven checked her makeup, stupid thing, and rubbed away the streaks under her eyes. She fixed her skirt and re-laced her boots, anything to stall time. Finally Becky was fed up and climbed out of her truck and walked to the passenger door.

"You need to talk to them." Raven pulled the borrowed sweater closer as Becky opened her door and cold air invaded her space. "You need to explain to them…to me. Trust me on this." Raven nodded and was astonished at the confidence her friend had suddenly. She climbed out of the truck and slowly walked up to her front door. The porch and everything around felt so foreign. The same Halloween decorations she'd help put up was there and that made her remember. Halloween was only a few days away…her birthday the same day. She would be turning seventeen and totally forgotten. Maybe she didn't want to remember. She had really forgotten everything when she was at the mansion.

Becky knocked on the door before ringing the bell, Raven wished she wouldn't and would let her have time to calm down but to no avail. There was a click and the sound of a knob being turned. Raven sucked in a breathe when the door slowly opened revealing a bleary eyed Billy. He was rubbing his eyes and holding back a yawn; it was only 7am and on a Saturday. He mumbled something and blinked a few times before he could see clearly. Raven waited and clutched Becky's hand, it was all she could do to stop herself from sprinting away. That and her legs were too tired from running all night. Raven held her breathe waiting for her brother to say something but as his eyes focused and settled on her he remained speechless. His mouth was slightly open in shock and brown eyes wide. It felt like forever but was only maybe five minutes when Billy reacted and it was something Raven didn't anticipate. Billy left the doorway and his maturing boy slammed into her in a hug and knocked the wind out of Raven. Becky had to grab them both to keep them from falling to the cold ground.

"Raven!" Billy buried his face into Raven's neck and his arms tightened around her. Raven was in a moment of shock until she saw Becky's face, then she slowly wrapped her arms around her brother. It had only been two weeks but it felt like years and Billy looked older. If it were possible. He had gotten taller almost reaching Raven's height and his arms weren't as thin. She could feel her brother shake and tried to stop her own sobs to keep him from crying more. "Where have you been? Mom and Dad were worried and I was going insane and you wouldn't answer your phone and Alexander wouldn't either and, and, a-," His voice was rushed and Raven had to stop him so he could breathe. Raven gave her brother one last squeeze before holding him a arms length. She could see the redness in his eyes and purple bruises were starting to blossom from sleepless nights. He looked exactly how she did.

"Calm down, Billy." Her voice shook and she cleared her throat. "I'll explain everything, or try to when everyone's awake and in the living room. Okay?" Billy nodded and gave her one more hug around her waist. Raven couldn't help but feel disgusted with herself as she realized the hell she put her brother and parents through. No one would do that to the people they loved most. She wouldn't leave ever again, in truth she hadn't anywhere to go. Billy raced back into the house and she could hear him go up the staircase and into his parents room. Raven was having a hard time believing both of them were asleep, they were usually early risers. Becky grabbed her hand and led Raven into the house. It felt so foreign to be walking through the doorway again, so unnatural. But Raven made her legs walk to the couch in the living room and perch herself there. What was she going to say to her parents? She had left on probably the worst terms and felt ice settle in her chest. She hadn't given them time to explain why they hadn't told her about not being their's biologically. They had raised her from birth and she should be grateful they had, instead she did the opposite and fled for weeks. What kind of person would do that? Someone not human. Raven tried to brush the dirt off her legs and fix her clothes again but they didn't seem to go away and just smeared leaving more marks. She gave up and instead sat upright trying to keep her composure. From behind her there was a clamber and the noise of feet tripping over themselves as they hit stairs. Becky looked at her best friend who went still as a board. The Madison's, all three came down the stairs at one time; Paul and Sarah almost fell over each other when they saw Raven on the couch. Sarah was the first to react and pulled Raven to her own body. She didn't care that the teen had left kicking and screaming, she just wanted her daughter back. Paul came behind Sarah and wrapped his arms around the both of them. Billy stayed where he was standing next to Becky and the farm girl couldn't help but tear up at the site. It was so…lovely.

The moment however broke when Raven pushed them away slowly and sat more erect. Sarah and Paul sat on the sofa on either side of her. Billy and Becky shared the loveseat. For a moment it was dead quiet. Then Raven let the words spill out of her mouth. "Just to let you all know I am so, so sorry for leaving and not calling or showing up once. I don't know what go into me but I am home now and won't leave ever again." For the first time in a while she was being sincere. "Before anyone says anything I need to talk. Mom, Dad," She looked at Paul and Sarah. "I knew I was adopted long before you told me." Both of them shared a face of shock, horror, and love all in one. "And I have a vague idea who my…" She searched for the words, "Biological parents are." Sarah's eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with her hand. Paul's face went blank. Both shared the same thought, how could she have found out?

"How did you find out?" Billy was the one who asked. Raven's eyes darted to him and the look on his face told that he knew exactly what was going on unlike Becky who was more confused then ever.

"You knew?" Raven stared at him then back at her parents. She took a deep breathe and realized she should've anticipated that. "Doesn't matter," She shook her head, "But I need you to tell me the whole truth. Please, something is wrong with me and I need you to tell me what. I know both of you know and know how to fix or stop it." She sounded more determined then ever. A gust of wind outside made the windows shake and Becky jumped, reaching for Raven. Raven glared out the window and almost immediately the wind stopped and the windows stilled. The only person who noticed was Sarah and she tried to swallow the truth as it bubbled from her lips.

"Raven you need to understand something." She had Raven's full attention. "Your…Biological parents," she forced herself to say the words, "are not like other people. In fact they aren't really people." Raven slowly nodded. "Their names are Jack and Sally." Raven nodded again then waited. Sarah looked at her husband to continue.

Paul cleared his throat then looked at the goth teen. "We were contacted when you were first born. Actually…you were born in our old apartment. We moved the day after you born from Lincoln (Hipsterville) here so no one would ask questions." His tone was so matter-of-fact that Raven didn't question it herself. "I doubt you remember but until the time you were ten they came to see you once every year. On Halloween, your birthday." Raven narrowed her eyes. She couldn't remember seeing anyone except in her dreams…But. What if they weren't dreams? But memories.

"So they were memories." Raven whispered and all four looked at her. "Nothing. Go on." And so Paul did. He explained how a round looking man came to them months before she was born and explained how a man and woman were in need of a home for their child. They weren't allowed to have the child and so the round man chose them. They didn't know why he had chosen them, only that they were 'right people'. "What did they look like?" She asked after he finished. Raven had to know to confirm everything. Paul and Sarah exchanged a look before Paul got up and walked back to their room. Sarah looked at Raven with tears in her eyes.

"Hey what's that on your cheek?" Becky finally spoke as Paul was coming down the stairs. Raven brought her trembling hand to her face and felt something bumpy there. She brushed her fingertips on it until Sarah grabbed her hand and didn't let them go. "Are those…" Becky had a face of horror and it reflected in her voice. "_Stitches?_" Raven tried to get up to see in the hallway mirror but Sarah sat her back down.

"This is them." Paul handed her a piece of paper. Raven turned it around and stared at the photo. In it was a man who towered over everyone in the picture. He had short midnight hair and deep eyes that looked like there wasn't any irises. His pale arms were around a woman about Raven's height with red hair and the weirdest skin tone. Her green eyes flashed in the picture and Raven could only think of her own. Beside the woman stood a small body and Raven had to squint to see what it was. _Who _it was. The girl had medium length midnight hair and green eyes almost as bright as the woman's. on her left cheek, where her hair almost covered her face, was a black line and Raven had a mental flash back to her dream err-memory. That must have been when the photo was taken. Raven stood and ran to the bathroom to look at the mirror. She slammed the door behind her and held the photo up to the mirror. Her eyes darted back and forth between the photo and herself. She hadn't been dreaming, but remembering. Alexander was right about her seventeenth birthday. Everything was changing. Becky was right too. The marks on Raven's cheeks…were stitches. And they looked like they were slowly spreading from the corner of her cheek up to her cheekbone.

**A/N: So I know I have been confusing people with the timeline. So let's say this chapter was on…October 24****th****? Make sense? **

**Raven: Finally we are getting somewhere!**

**LBVBA: Shut up. I could kill you off y'know.**

**Raven: But I'm the main character. You wouldn't. **

**LBVBA: Try me.**

**Both: REVIEW!**


	14. Feel Alive

**A/N: I promised the story would be picking up didn't I? At the part with this symbol: ~Feel Alive~ we will be switching to what is happening in Halloween Town so don't get confused. **

**Chapter.14**

**Feel Alive**

Raven could feel the scream in her throat bubble but it didn't come out. Instead she remained silently, mouth slightly open. She couldn't stop herself from looking in the mirror. She wanted to pull on the stitches and make them go away but she couldn't. Each time she tried they grew more and it hurt like someone was putting a branding iron on her face. Finally she dropped her hands and opened the door slowly. Noises came from her mouth that she didn't recognize and she made her way back into the living room. All eyes were on her and she felt like a freak again. Billy was looking in almost awe, Becky looked confused and horrified while her parent's had the look of shame. Raven slowly lifted her hand to point to the marks. "Make them go away." She sounded on the verge of hysteria. Paul and Sarah looked at each other in horror. They didn't know how to rid their daughter of the marks…but they knew who could. Sarah took a deep breathe, stood, and crossed the room to set her hands on Raven's shoulders. She dreaded this day but she knew it was inevitable.

She looked into Raven's tearful eyes and nodded. "We will, Raven. But there's something you have to know first." She guided Raven back towards the couch and sat her there but walked to a bureau across the room. Sarah opened the small doors and pulled out a metal box. The box looked cold to touch and a little heavy; etchings were on it that looked foreign to the eyes of everyone…everyone except for Raven. The scribbles looked like words and seemed to flow around the box. Sarah set the box on the coffee table and produced a key from one of the table drawers; she out the key into a little hole in the box and a little click came and the side of the box shot out and produced an object Raven couldn't see. Sarah lifted it and set the object in Raven's open hand. "Don't freak out." Now Raven was worried. She didn't freak out much but when she had to be warned she knew it was bad. Raven looked down at her hands and her eyes went wide at what she saw. The…thing in her hands was moving but she couldn't figure out what it was. It moved like it was trying to jump but it's limbs, or what looked like limbs wasn't letting it. Slowly the thing started to take shape and an auditable gasp from both Madison children and Becky was the only thing in the room. Becky walked slowly to her best friend and leered at the tiny form that took shape. Even Billy was amazed and he already knew what it was. The growing thing jumped once more before falling back into Raven's hand but this time when it hit her palm it was in full shape.

"It's a…" Raven couldn't find the word and her throat closed.

"It's a faery." Becky finished in the same awe. Curiosity got the best of her and Becky slowly reached out her hand to touch it but the tiny being snapped and went to bite at her hand. Raven almost dropped it when Becky pulled suddenly back but the tiny thing latched onto her hand for dear life.

"It is indeed a faery but not a normal one." Both teens looked at Paul who stood with his arms crossed. He sounded like he knew exactly what he was talking about. "There are more than one kind of faery. Almost none are like the ones you see on Disney or whatever. They are actually called Sprites; this one is from a place called Halloween Town. Her name is Willow." The creature jumped at it's name and landed on Raven's palm, it's tiny wings coming to form. It didn't look like any faery on TV. or in books, it was almost…ugly. It's skin looked leathery and extremely pale, almost translucent. It had short hair that was spiked in every direction like it had just woken up and it's eyes…oh those eyes. They were about the size you'd expect on a creature that size but the irises were abnormal. They weren't like humans but almost feline. The Sprite wore no close because it didn't seem to have anything anatomical that would need to be covered. The only indication of it's gender was the fact Paul had said it was a her and there were bumps on her chest that could only be its breasts. Raven gritted her teeth as the Sprite spread out its mangled looking wings and stood on her hand. It raised one of it's arms and waved at Raven as if it knew her. "We were given Willow on your sixth birthday," He looked carefully at Raven then at Sarah who nodded. He sighed and continued, "The last time you're biological parents saw you." Raven slowly nodded, she anticipated that much. She looked down at the little being in her hands and focused on it.

The sprite opened it's mouth. _"Hallan mercnty clnfort shix." _She spoke. Raven furrowed her eye brows and looked at her parents. Whatever the sprite had said no one understood.

"She's speaking the language Hallow Faery's speak. She was told to learn English before she left." Sarah's voice was almost a warning to the little sprite. The Sprite, um Willow, stuck her tongue out at Sarah and crossed her arms.

"You're language is too hard to learn." Raven almost dropped Willow again at her voice. It was soft yet stern and held an accent that couldn't be placed. "Please don't drop me, Miss Raven." Willow jumped off Raven's hand and planted herself onto her knee instead. She shook out her wings and a sick wet sound came from them. "I've been trapped for almost 11 years and my wings are very fragile." Again Raven nodded slowly. A weird sound came from her. "What I had said before '_I am to take you to your parents'_." She gave a look to Sarah who rolled her eyes. Raven had never seen her mom do that and almost laughed.

Becky finally piped in. "If you've spent 11 years locked in that box," She pointed to the metal box on the table, "Then how do you speak English so well?" Becky couldn't believe she was speaking to something that was supposed to be fiction and had to fight the urge to faint. But it was a good point. Everyone looked at the Sprite.

Willow started to switch feet as if she couldn't stand to, well stand. "What do you think I was doing for 11 years? Sitting there singing show tunes?" Everyone had to grumble an ok at that. Willow sighed and tried to see if her wings were ok. She jumped and they fluttered but she landed on Raven's foot this time. Raven stiffened feeling the leathery skin and had to fight to kick out her foot. Willow scrambled and lifted herself back onto Raven's knee. _"Hallan shlent seft." _That was the second time Raven heard the foreign language and felt like she should know it.

Raven felt the words bubble up her throat and had to speak them. _"Nenin sleft mraftine shix?" _Everyone gasped and looked at Raven in awe. Willow snickered and nodded.

"She said 'whe-ack!" Willow started to cough and doubled over. Raven was quick and picked her up. Willow's skin not only felt leathery but was icy to touch and was turning a slight red. "Too co-o-old." Willow gasped out and Raven reacted without thought. She put willow close to the left side of her chest and rested her in the crook of her neck like she was a human sized baby. Willow immediately stopped coughing and everyone but Raven could see her pigment turn back to sickly pale. Willow nuzzled herself close to Raven's neck and the teen had to stay perfectly still. "Sorry, I haven't adjusted to your climate yet." She cleared her throat. "Raven said _'When can you take me to my parents?'_". She addressed everyone else. "And the answer is as soon as you want." It was quiet. No one said anything waiting for Raven to talk. The teen stared out the window opposite of her without saying anything. The feeling of Willow on her shoulder felt natural and she didn't seem to notice but when Willow answered the words she didn't know she could speak…It made something click in her. If she could meet her biological parents and find out who they were and what was wrong with her then she could be normal again. She could tell them she wanted no part of Halloween Town, the place hurt to think of, and be normal. She could go back to how things were and be happy at home. See Becky everyday and Matt and even Trevor. She could be with Alexander. His name made her gasp and a hollow feeling ached in her. Raven knew it wouldn't matter to Alexander though. He would still think she was the ultimate evil to vampires. But it was still a chance.

"I want to go now." Raven turned her head and picked Willow up from her shoulder. Willow's unnatural eyes went big and she slowly nodded.

"Now wait." Sarah stood and made a shooing motion at the Sprite. "Your father and I never said you could go." She took Willow from Raven and put her back in the box but didn't shut it. "You can not just tell her that she can leave any time. Raven you are our daughter, my daughter. I know you want to know who your parents are and want that _thing _on your face to go away but you are not going to some realm or whatever." Raven looked at her mother.

She narrowed her eyes. "You've lied about who I am my whole life and then bring in this damn faery, Sprite, whatever, no offense," She gave a weary look to Willow, "and then expect me to not want to go? I know I am the heir of Halloween Town so don't tell me I can't go!" Her voice grew as she stood to stare back at Sarah. Sarah watched stunned at how Raven caught on. The stitch on her cheek grew as she spoke and Billy and Becky both stepped back feeling the anger flow from her. "Willow you are going to take me and today." She picked up the Sprite but it's tiny waist and started for the door. Willow squirmed trying to adjust her wings. Becky and Billy followed behind Raven and fumbled to keep up.

"I'm coming with!" Both yelled. Sarah and Paul both tried to stop Billy who shrugged them off and followed his sister. Becky went because she couldn't believe what she was seeing and needed to keep seeing. Raven took off down the stairs and to Becky's truck. Willow squirmed out of her grasp and planted her lithe body on Raven's shoulder.

"The door is in a place that the dead thrive." She whispered into her ear. Raven nodded and quickly realized where they had to go: the cemetery.

Raven nodded and looked back at her best friend and brother. "We have the go to the cemetery." Becky went rigid. "You still wanna come?"

It took Becky several seconds to answer. "Uh yeah. Gives me something to do." She muttered and went to the driver side of the truck. She revved the engine before rubbing her eyes with her hands in a simple prayer that she would get home alive.

"Don't forget me!" Billy slid into the cab before Raven did. "Henry will not believe I went to another world." Raven only rolled her eyes before looking at her parents. Their faces were solemn but looked like they had accepted what was happening. She mouthed 'I love you' to both of them before letting Willow tell them what to do once they got there.

**~Feel Alive~**

Something felt off. The young boy looked up from his desk where he had scribbled away forgotten words. His jaded eyes squired the room waiting for someone to jump up and try to scare him. Like they could, he was the Prince of scares.

"Mom, Dad?" He yelled out before hearing voices drifting from the hallway. He walked carefully across his rickety floor and opened his door. Voices were raised and he could only catch a few hints of it.

"_Willow has awakened!" _He heard a crackly voice yell.

"_When, where! Is she coming with?" _That was his mother.

"_We will go to the doors and welcome them!" _His father. And as the boy looked over the veranda and down at his beaming parents, he was his father's wide skeleton smile and his mother looking like her seams were coming undone. His sister. She was coming to Halloween Town. Raven.

**A/N: Dun, dun, dun. Finally Raven's going to Halloween Town, right? Next chapter is in the works. **


	15. Not In Dullsville

**A/N: Finally Raven is going to Halloween Town! Took long enough right? Hopefully it'll be a great reunion…yeah who am I kidding? We're back to Raven's p.o.v. now. **

**This chapter and the next two are dedicated to two lovely readers:**

_**Alice Gone Madd **_

_**General of the BVB Army**_

**You guys always make me happy when you review. **

**Chapter.15**

**Not In Dullsville Anymore**

By the time they had arrived at the cemetery dusk had settled and Billy was yawning away. Had they spent all day at the house without knowing? "You shouldn't have come with us Billy." Raven chided when they climbed out of the cab, with Willow resting on her shoulder.

"Like I'd let you go to another world without me!" He stuck his tongue out and marched a head of them. Raven muttered something unintelligible as she rubbed at her eyes. Billy may be tired but Raven hadn't slept once going on 48hrs.

Becky stopped at the entrance of the rotting gates. "It's locked and I don't think Old Jim is out tonight." That meant one thing. Becky groaned and sighed. "We have to climb don't we?" She looked sullenly at Raven who nodded. "This better be worth it and not some trick that….Sprite it trying to start." She glared at Willow. Raven was a little shocked at her friends sudden snarkiness and went to the gates.

"Billy you go first," she cupped her hands as a step, "And then Becky. I think I can still climb this on my own." Billy stepped lightly into her hand before grabbing the bars above his head and hoisting himself over the bars. "Careful for spikes." Raven warned. Billy made a 'ya ya' hand motion before almost face planting. "Told you." Becky sighed again before letting Raven help her over. Her pant leg got caught and she was about to tumble down if Billy hadn't helped her untangle herself. Willow snickered the whole time and Raven swatted at her.

"Watch it!" Willow shrieked and tugged on a snarl in Raven's hair. The teen glowered and took a hold of the rusty gate. They iron shook under her and she had to be careful as she felt how feeble they were. Her arms shook as she got to the top of the gate. From that height she could see down the street and noticed a figure to far away to make sense of. She blinked, shook her head and just like that they were gone. Once all three of them had made it across Raven looked down at the Sprite. _"Follow the winged ones to the center where only dark blossoms." _All three looked at Willow with serious confusion. "What?" She stood on Raven's shoulder.

"And what the hell is that suppose to mean?" Billy held his hands up frustrated. Raven rubbed at her eyes again and tried to ignore the feeling of the stitches growing on her face. She couldn't help but think of her favorite story when she was little: Sally Stitch. A small laugh came from her mouth and she heard a gasp and a shriek from her partners.

"What?" She looked at them. Becky's eyes were wide and her bottom lip trembled lightly. "What?" Something on the side of her face tingled and she raised her hand to brush at it. Bad idea. Her hand slipped from where she felt the tingle to…inside her mouth. Her hand slid into her mouth from her cheek and she almost fainted. "What the hell is wrong with me!" She grabbed Willow and shook her. "Why can I do that?!" She shrieked and heard crows caw in response.

Willow held her head as Raven slowly stopped shaking her. "Whoa." Her eyes darted around in circles and she tried to collect herself. "It's because too much time has passed." She grumbled and pointed to a tombstone. "Those are '_the winged ones'._" Her dainty hands were out stretched to a headstone with a cement angel on it. The angels wings were together and its hands positioned so they were bent down…or right? Willow coughed again and pointed around the statue. "Follow the hands of them and you'll find the door." And so they did. Each angel belonged to another person, obviously, but with each one was a date that seemed to be in order. The first angel was dated 1834, the second was 1852, 1870, 1888, 1906...on and on they went adding on 18 years with every one. The last one they came up to was dated 1996. The same year Raven was born. No angels were after it and the three waited dumbfounded.

"No what?" Billy crossed his arms in a way that reminded Raven of herself. Nothing was around by a bush with what looked like decaying flowers.

Willow let out a huff. "The door is right there." She nodded to the bush. The three stared at the micro-person. Becky knelt next to the bush and saw something behind it. Carefully she moved aside the thorny brush and behind the thorns and thicket was a headstone….and one Raven recognized. Raven squinted at the writing on it and felt her muscles locked into place. She began to shake her head then backed away.

"That can't be the door." She backed away more but Willow protested by pulling on her hair. "Willow it isn't the door. It can't be." But the Sprite continued.

"It is! Just say the words and it'll open." She kept tugging and jumped, her wings coming to life finally. A sick wet sound returned as she fluttered them and the bat shaped wings started to move. "You have to." Her voice almost pleading.

"Why can't you Raven?" Billy spoke up as he and Becky started to pull the bush down.

Raven swallowed and shooed there hands away knowing the bush was there for a reason. "Because it's Alexander's Grandmother's grave."

**~Not In Dullsville Anymore~**

"Briar!" The boy looked at his parents as they tried to rush him out of their home and to the door. Both were looking ecstatic but Briar was feeling restless. He couldn't let them find the door and see her.

**~Not In Dullsville Anymore~**

"What do you mean that's Alexander's Grandmother's grave?" Becky shrieked and jumped back from the grave. Billy leered at the tombstone now slowly backing up.

Raven nodded. "She's been buried there for 10 years." Her voice was sullen as she knelt down to it. "Willow are you sure this is the door?" The sprite fluttered next to her head and nodded. "How do we open it?"

"Say the words and it should open." Again all three looked at her. Willow sighed, grumbled and landed on Raven's shoulder. She knelt close and whispered the words into her ear. "Say them with your hands on the stone and it'll open." Raven nodded again.

"I hope you're right." She cleared her throat and knelt close to the tombstone. Her voice was light as she whispered the words; Becky and Billy tried to hear them but couldn't make out anything. When she finished, Raven noticed the rose vine's had started to shift to lay on the stone. She watched, backing away as they seemed to pile on until they formed to loose shape of a door and Raven reached out to where a rosebud looked like a door knob. "Here goes nothing." She held out her hand and Becky took it, Billy taking Becky's other. Raven opened the door and a burst of cold air wafted from it. The light smell of decay followed and Raven took a step in. That's when her foot slipped and they all went spiraling into the abyss.

Both girls shrieked as they continued to tumble in the dark. Billy was speechless, his voice escaping him along with any air. The three struggled to get a hold of something to latch onto but there wasn't anything but the smell of decay and darkness. Then as suddenly as they had been falling, they stopped. Abruptly the three touched ground, Becky and Billy landing on something hard and Raven was thrown in the direction of a tree. All three had the wind knocked out of them and gasped for air. None said anything as they tried to get their boundaries. Raven groaned and rolled onto her side feeling aches in every part of her body. Billy had managed to stand up and helped the two teens get to their feet. They looked around blearily noticing they were in the middle of a forest. Well if you could call it one. Trees were around but they were barren with scattered leaved on the ground. Raven gasped as she felt the stitches grow and tried to cover them with her hand.

"Here." Becky unwound her scarf from her neck and helped Raven tie it around her face to conceal her scars. "Which way should we go?" Becky held her hands out to make her point.

"How about over here." The three looked wide eyes to the direction where the voice had come from. Becky all but jumped out of her skin and went to hide behind Raven seeing the creature. Billy couldn't move in shock and Raven just stared. There in the moonlight of the trees was the three kids she'd seen at the mall in Hipsterville.

"Hello Raven." The red haired boy smiled and walked forward.

The girl with the witch hat smiled and cackled. "We've come to take you to your parents."

**A/N: I'm evil aren't I? I promise that Raven will meet Jack and Sally in the next chapter, 'kay?**


	16. Cobblestone

**A/N: All I'm gonna say this is insane crap. Mainly because certain readers were bugging for an update. But I still love you guys so enjoy and don't throw stones! -jumps into rabbit hole-**

**Chapter.16**

**Cobblestone**

"_Hello Raven." The red haired boy smiled and walked forward. _

_The girl with the witch hat smiled and cackled. "We've come to take you to your parents." _

No one moved. Raven kept her eyes on the three and felt sick. They had known who she was before she did. No. No. _No_. "We aren't going anywhere with you." It was Billy who spoke up. But none of three paid him any attention and they kept their eyes fixated on Raven.

"It's you choice to come," a short boy with dark hair and a creepy smile remarked.

"But we must warn you," The red boy smirked.

"Not everyone is happy about you being alive!" The girl cackled and Raven had a sense to punch her but held back. Then all three of them looked at her. "Well?" The girl cackled again.

"Well what?" Raven narrowed her eyes.

"Are you coming?" The red boy answered motioning to a pathway. Raven eyed it with suspicion then with her head high started walking. The scarf had started to slip and she quickly used her hand to hold it back up. "That a girl!" The boy went to slap her on the back and Raven grabbed his hand and squeezed hard. "Ow, okay let go!" She didn't. Instead she only held on longer and only when she heard a small crack did the thought of letting go cross her mind. She dropped his arm and it looked like the red had paled in his hair and complexion. "The hell?" He looked at his arm that was now turning into the lovely purple that meant bruises and broken bones. Lock balled his other hand up and the other two of the trio grabbed him before her could do anything.

"Lock you don't want to do that!" The girl pulled his arms back.

"Think of what Jack'll do to you, to us!" The short boy go through to him and the red boy stopped. Raven didn't seem to care as she started down the pathway with Billy and Becky following behind. The other three followed in confusion as Raven seemed to notice where to go. "Excuse me!" The girl ran up to Raven's side. "Don't you want to know who we are or where you're going?" Raven just shook her head, adjusting the scarf once more.

"Well I do." Billy muttered. That was enough for the odd three.

"I'm Lock." The red boy growled with a glare at Raven.

"Jock." The girl tipped her witch hat.

"Darrell!" The short boy came up behind Becky, who jumped forgetting he was even near her. "We_ were _Oogie Boogie's boys until Jac-," Jock and Lock ran to cover his mouth. "Hmmfsrhm." Darrell grumbled through the hands.

"Nothing. He was saying nothing." Lock smacked Darrell on the back of his blue head before they started down the path again. Many fallen trees were in their way and as Becky and Billy looked around they could see ominous movement in the shadows as well as scattered tombstones. The two couldn't believe how Raven seemed to fit perfectly into the area; when there was a tombstone in her path she'd simply step over it with her long legs. A fallen tree? She climbed over it in less than five seconds and continued on while they struggled to keep up. No one said anything and that made Becky very uneasy. She preferred to hear the girl, Jock, crackly witch voice over the hoots of owls and dead rustle of gods knows what.

Soon the path narrowed from being a two yards wide to barely room for the two humans to walk shoulder to shoulder. "Careful." They heard Raven mutter as she and Lock stepped over where a rusted gate had fallen. When they finally came out of the ridiculously dense forest Becky, Billy, and Even Raven were stunned to see they were in another graveyard. Except this one had many, many more headstones than in Dullsville and there seemed to be a monument to _Scream_ every other grave.

"Welcome to the Pumpkin Patch!" Jock and Darrell laughed and cackled pushing the trio ahead of them. The odd trio then started to hum, well at least to Becky that was what it sounded like, a ridiculous tune that made them flinch.

"Where are we going?" Becky squirmed away from the two and moved to hide behind Raven. "This isn't like any pumpkin patch I've ever been to." This time it wasn't any of the odd three that answered; it was Raven.

"We're going to Halloween Town." Her voice was muffled by the scarf. "Aren't we?" She looked pointedly at the three standing in front of her. To say all five of them were shocked or at least stunned for a second was too obvious. She took their reactions for a yes and kept walking. How she navigated her way through the tombstones was beyond her best friend and brother but she managed and they came to another gate that looked like it was collapsing into itself. Carefully Raven stepped through two bars that were spread apart and the others followed suit.

"Raven how do you know where to go?" Billy whispered next to her. The now cobblestone street they walked on seemed to go on for miles and miles with broken down houses but all was quiet. Almost too quiet for even the three who lived there.

Raven looked at her brother with a clever look. "I just do." Something was off with her. Billy almost gasped when he saw it; her voice was rough and her eyes held something that made him want to get lost in her irises and go insane. He gulped and opted to look forward. And Raven noticed. She could feel the stitches grow and something was wrong with her vision, it seemed to go in and out of focus every time she tried to look straight. Her mind would make the world tilt and she would try to keep herself from stumbling so no one would notice. There was a fork in the road when Billy, Becky, and Raven agreed they wanted to take a rest. They had just gone through some weird portal and walked a mile in less than an hour after all. Raven sat on a fallen tree and Becky joined her, blocking everyone's view from the Goth girl. "What?" Raven muttered rubbing at her eyes.

Becky reached for the scarf and swallowed. "Let me see." It wasn't a question. Slowly Becky slid the scarf down to Raven's neck and only for a second did her eyes widen before she composed herself. Raven had to hand it to her best friend, she was tougher than she ever thought. Then she sighed. "It's getting worse." Again, not a question. She placed the scarf back in place before pulling her light hair back into a pony tail. Becky leaned against the cobble wall while Billy sat at the bottom. "We have to stop this before it gets any worse." She addressed Jock, Lock, and Darrell who were all gaping. "What?" She looked at their faces and her eyes trailed to what they were focused on. And she nearly jumped out of her skin. Menacingly standing over three stories was a house, maybe, on a hill. The house itself looked very unstable like a rough breeze could tip it over crashing into the smaller, more tattered homes. A huge tower was atop it with a single light on in it. Lock, Jock, and Darrell all seemed to pale at the sight of the almost mansion. Billy peered at the writing above the gate with weary eyes. In what looked like a mix of spider writing and chicken scratch was **S EL IN TON. **Some of the letters had fallen off or rotted away. Obviously to the young nerd the word said Skeleton but the spelling was way off and it had to be something else, even if they were in a town called Halloween Town.

"Go on." Urged Jock as she hid her face with her hat.

"Go up there." Lock roughly grabbed Raven and made her stand.

"They're waiting for you." Darrell started to push Billy and Becky to make them move. The three took it as a sign that they were on their own now and had to do as told. Raven gathered up little courage and balled up her fists, almost stomping up the gravel and stairs. Becky and Billy followed almost tripping over themselves.

"Are we really doing this?" Becky said yanking a spider web from her hair. "No way they could have led us to your parents." She didn't trust them one bit.

Raven shrugged. "They said whoever is here can get rid of this," she pointed to her still covered mouth, "so I'm at least trying." They made it to the ridiculously tall door and Raven knocked. Her knock was quick and quiet but it was heard like thunder through out the house. Nothing happened.

"Maybe they aren't home?" Billy suggested rubbing his arms. He was starting to get cold and the smell of the bitter sweet air was making him want to convulse. Quickly Raven took off her over sized sweater and pulled it over her brother's head. "Thanks." He stuffed his hands into the pockets. "Try again?" And she did. Four times. When she finally almost gave up on the door she almost jumped three feet when she heard a latch and '_click' _of a lock turning. Cautiously she stepped back and down one step and waited for the door to open. Her eyes became sore when she saw the person.

"_Oh my_." And Raven's heart shattered. That voice…she had heard it before. Maybe once or twice in a dream perhaps. A woman stepped from behind the door, her long red hair swaying behind her. She had marks on her face that resembled Raven's stitches and her eyes…she had seen them. The connection sent a spark into her mind and something clicked. Not in a dream but reality, before she was forced to leave…when she was born.

"Raven." Then something moved behind the woman and soon a man stepped from behind her. Or at least Raven thought he was a man, his skin was so thin and white they could be bone. As she looked closely she was alarmed to see they were bone in fact. A walking, talking skeleton. Completely forgetting her friend and brother behind her, Raven launched herself at the couple, her arms wrapping around them both. She felt a cold hand on her back and wasn't surprised when she saw the skeleton man's arm around her and the woman. This feeling she was having felt so familiar to her that she felt ashamed to say it was the purest form of love and she wasn't feeling it with her parents. Not her mom and dad, Sarah and Paul, but with her mother and father. Someone cleared their throat breaking the silence that had settled like a thick blanket.

"Well this is lovely." It was a deep voice that reminded Raven of the singer in a band she liked. "Mom, dad, why don't you introduce me to my sister." A tall boy about 14 or 15 walked casually down the staircase. Raven's eyes bulged when she heard what he had said and by how he looked….like her. His pale face made her feel less like a freak seeing he had similar stitch work on one side of his mouth and going from one corner of his right eye to the other. When he blinked, Raven saw the stitches went over his eye lid. But the worst thing was his eyes. They weren't at all the forest green like hers but a vacant brown that looked more black. Slowly she pulled the scared around her mouth down and the boy seemed to be stunned. For a minute.

"Did he say sister?" It was Billy who had come to stand next to Raven, his voice very defensive.

The boy smiled and his one sided stitches opened wide. "Yes." It wasn't a welcoming yes but with melancholy. "You didn't think you were the only Pumpkin Patch Heir did you?"

**A/N: -pops out of hole- Ugh I hate this chapter. Let me say this now: don't rush me. I have started another story and am favoring it right now so patience, my young Padiwans. **

**Raven: -sticks head out- seriously.**

**Billy: hey I'm actually in a long chapter!**

**LBVBA: Yes, and I have finals for the next two weeks.**

**Raven: well at least you don't make me go through that.**

**LBVBA: -evil smile- sure…**

**Billy: fine ignore me.**

**All three: REVIEW!**


	17. Time is of the Essence part 1

**A/N: I think I've procrastinated enough with this story so I mean it when I say it, we are **_**finally**_** getting close to the climax of the story. And if I'm lying, you can do whatever you want to me. Now on with the chapter!**

**Chapter. 17**

**Time if of the Essence**

**part.1**

**Alexander's P.O.V.**

_Where. Is. She._

She couldn't have gotten far, her house maybe. But he had already checked and there was no sign that she had been there. It had only been a day but how could she have so easily slipped from his fingers. She wasn't **his** though, Alexander thought to himself as he sat in his attic room staring at a painting he had of Raven. Raven could come and go whenever she wished, she didn't even have to speak to him if she didn't want to. And he had kept her locked in the mansion in fear she would leave and realize what she was. _Who_ she was but he was to blinded to see she already knew and the reason why she left. Him.

It didn't take Alexander long to see he was the issue. He knew Raven had overheard him and Luna and what he had said. He had sounded so cold, so heartless. But he had to do it. If there was anyway to convince Luna, in turn convincing Jagger, then he had to lie but it was his downfall that he was a good liar. And for that he was paying, losing the one person that meant more than the world to him.

"Oh don't look so down Alexander." A feminine voice flirted. "You knew she'd find out sooner or later and leave." Perfect porcelain doll hands touched his shoulders and then proceeded to trail down his chest. Alexander shoved Luna from him and stood up, almost hitting his head on a low part of the ceiling.

He glared at Luna. "Can you do something else other than try and fail to seduce me?" His voice was borderline growling. The pixie like vampire was taken aback and took a second to collect herself. "I don't care if she found out, Raven already knew who she was before I realized it." He walked out of the attic room, his feet thudding with each step. The last thing he needed was someone let alone another vampire patronizing him for not seeing or saying anything sooner. There was a loud ring of a bell then. "Oh for the love of-." Alexander smacked his hand on a wall and the picture frame there shook, threatening to fall and shatter on the ground. He heard the voice of Jameson and another lithe voice that he regrettably recognized. Lillian. He reached the stairs and wearily descended to meet his 'guest'; Luna trailed behind with a pinched expression.

"Hello again Alexander." Lillian winked at him but her expression went rigid and cruel seeing the pink haired girl behind him. "And hello Miss Luna Maxwell. Still trying to get on our Alex here I see." She half-teased half-scorned. Neither vampiress like the other and was full of resentment for reasons Alexander didn't bother to understand. Lillian stood with her pale arms crossed in only a black t-shirt, ripped black jeans, and her buckled combat boots; her usual haloed hair was flat against her head and brushed her neck. She looked like she had just been on a 5 year exploration and found out what she looked for was a lie.

"Hello Lillian Thorn-in-my-side." Luna looked like she had come up with the best insult but Lillian only laughed.

"Oh honey if you want to insult me, you'll have to do better." The fiery haired one only chuckled then became serious. "You lied to me Alexander." If looks could kill, Alexander considered himself 6- no _10_ feet under. "And you know I very much **hate** being lied to." Her sapphire eyes seemed to be lit by fire. Alexander swallowed and Luna slowly excused herself before booking it behind Jameson who looked equally terrified.

Alexander cleared his throat. "Lillian allow me to explain please. You see-," but the older vampire shook her head.

"I see nothing but a teen who lied to his elder. I have been nothing but helpful to you Alexander Sterling," She poked his chest, "since you called upon me a month ago. I have searched this bloody town up and down and gave you list upon list of possible heirs and guess what?" She spat, her accent thick. Lillian didn't wait for an answer. "The only person who was on every single one of those lists wasn't a male at all but a girl. A _human_ girl that you oh so cleverly forgot to tell me you were in love with!" Her voice had reached an octave or two higher and Alexander flinched at the last few words. "Why didn't you fucking tell me?" Now she sounded defeated and Alexander felt the slightest bit bad.

He looked down at his companion. "Like you said, I love her." Lillian only rolled her eyes and glared again. He knew as much as she wanted to smack him or far, far worse she couldn't. Constantine and Cassandra would sooner have her head on a stick before anything happened to him. "I know you hate human, vampire relationships but do you think I planned this? When I first met her, I thought she was a vampire through and through."

Now Lillian smirked and swayed on her feet. "But she turned out to actually be your enemy. How star crossed of you, Alexander. You truly are an artist." She patted where her heart should be and then went back to menacing. "I do not care who this girl is or why you love her, all I want to know is one thing. Is she a danger to us?" By 'us' she meant vampire kind. Alexander wasn't sure how to answer. Raven was seeming more ill than a threat the past weeks but that could be because her body was adjusting to the change. "I will take that as a yes." Lillian was now calm and her eyes looked almost genuinely saddened. Almost. "I assume you wish to know where your Raven is, correct?" He could only nod. Lillian replied with her own nod and sighed, pushing a loose strand of red. "Okay. I'll tell you where she has gone but when you follow her, I must go with." Now Alexander wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Lillian you know I can't take you with me." He tried to reason but Lillian only shook her head and waited, arms crossed again. Alexander also knew Lillian was very stubborn and could wait forever for what she wanted, she had the time after all. "Fine," He caved after five minutes under her intense gaze, "but one condition must be met."

Again, Lillian smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"You can not in anyway harm Raven or anyone who is accompanying her. Do you understand?" Lillian nodded again and rolled her eyes.

"We should leave now then if you want to catch up to her in time." _Time_. Such a simple word but held so much more meaning in it than any other. Alexander followed the age-old vampire out the door not saying anything to the other two occupance of the manor.

**A/N: Remember, this is only part 1!**

**Raven: Now you **_**finally**_** write!**

**LBVBA: Do you have any idea what has been going on with me?**

**Raven: I do as a matter of fact.**

**LBVBA: I could just discontinue the story y'know. **

**Raven:…..**

**Both: Review!**


	18. When It All Falls Apart part 2

**A/N: Welcome to part 2 of the 17****th**** chapter. Hope you guys like it! We will be switching p.o.v.'s half way so enjoy!**

**Oh and to say a little thing about the 1****st**** part: I was very emotional when I wrote it, even if it seems plain, and so I decided to take it out on the characters. ****Chapter dedicated to:**

**Alice Gone Madd for talking to me when I'm bored and being a faithful reader.**

**Chapter.17 part 2**

**When It All Falls Apart**

**Alexander's p.o.v. **

The drive to the cemetery seemed to go on forever as Alexander drove and Lillian sat back in the passenger seat. Alexander was visibly nervous as his hands were shaking on the steering wheel whereas Lillian was just sitting there. Alexander couldn't see any emotion on her face but calm, and it worried him.

"Once we get into the cemetery we will have to find the door." She said once they had arrived. "But I doubt you will have trouble." She took a band from her wrist and pulled her short hair into a small pony tail, keeping only the front down. "You go there almost every night." He looked at her with wide eyes but she was already out of the car and walking to the rot iron gates. Lillian looked at the gates for a minute or so before taking a few steps back. She gave Alexander a smirk before going into a half sprint and jumping over the 10 foot gate. She landed in a kneeling position and dusted herself off. Alexander wasn't fond of her showing off. He simply walked to where the gate opened and unlocked it before walking through. Lillian only continued to walk on.

"Why is the door my grandmother's grave?" He demanded as he caught up to her. Lillian only shrugged and he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Okay another question then: How do you know where to go?" This time Lillian stopped and shoved her hands into her pockets.

She kicked a rock. "I just do." She sighed. "I always have, I've known about the Heir long before she was born." Again Alexander could only stare. "What I didn't know if who they would be and how the Vampyre world would factor. Now I know why, lover boy." She smirked and went back to walking. It didn't take long for them to navigate to the grave and Alexander became more nervous seeing it. Lillian turned to him and gave him a look. One he hadn't ever seen before, kindness. "I know this must be hard but trust me on this, you'll be happy once you see her again. And maybe…" She seemed to be forcing the words out. "Maybe thing will return to normal." But Alexander had a feeling she didn't believe what she was saying. She moved aside the dark rose bush that held the hidden door and motioned for Alexander to step through. She said, "You might want to brace yourself." before they both jumped in.

**(Back with Raven)**

There was a long pause as everyone took in what Briar had said. For some reason, Raven wasn't surprised. Infuriated yes, surprised no. But that didn't mean Billy wasn't. His sister, the one who he had seen everyday of his life not only had a different life, but a different family. It hurt in his chest and he winced finally seeing the resemblance in the two Halloween Town heirs. Both had dark hair and pale skin, stitch marks making their way across their faces but what he was happy to see was their eyes were different. Raven's were still the pretty green he had loved and this boy he had just met had muddy brown eyes that had little to no depth in them. But that didn't mean he didn't cower when the older boy glowered at him.

"Briar leave the child alone." A soft voice scolded him and Billy looked to the odd woman Raven was hugging only a moment ago. There he saw the face he was so use to; he saw Raven's heart shaped face and wide eyes, her soft features and high cheekbones. He had to tear his eyes away to keep from looking at her and her blue skin. He didn't even want to know about her own stitch work. "Would you all come inside?" The woman pushed the door aside and ushered them in. The skeletal man towered over them all and the two humans all but sprinted into the crooked house to get away from his gaze. But Becky saw something in the skeleton's hollow face: was it love? Hope? No, awe. Like he couldn't believe what he was seeing, like she had stepped into a dream that was too real to let go. It made her sad. The woman led the trio into what could possibly be a living room, there was one couch and two loveseats, a small table in the middle, and blankets that looked like spider webs were on each one. And they were all black. _Maybe this is Raven's real family_, Becky thought cramming into one loveseat with Billy. After everyone was settled and Raven was sitting in the other loveseat by herself the woman spoke again. "You two," She motioned to Becky and Billy, "must be very confused as to who we are and where you are." Both nodded slowly. Billy still had his gaze locked on the boy who had said he was Raven's brother. "First things first. My name is Sally. T is my Jack, he's the King of the Pumpkin Patch." The way she said it wasn't only with pride but love laced. "This young man here who has been nothing but rude," She was definitely a mother, that tone was too well known. "Is Briar, our son." Briar gave a sarcastic smile before rolling his eyes.

An awkward silence settled like a thick blanket before someone decided to finally cut it out. "So you have a son." Raven's voice was slow like the words were barely sinking in. She gave Billy a look that read '_sorry_' all over it. "I have a brother…." Now she looked up with accusation in her watering irises. "That you didn't give up." That's when it hit everyone, well everyone who cared, in the room. Not only did Raven find out Sarah and Paul weren't her biological parents, or that she was this _thing_, the parents that gave her life hadn't kept her. And in her eyes, that meant they hadn't wanted her.

Sally quickly shook her head. "No Raven that isn't how it was." She had crossed the small room to come and sit next to Raven who slowly inched away. "I know you are thinking we gave you up because we didn't want you but that isn't why we did." This sparked interest in Becky, Billy and even Briar and the three leaned forward to hear. Jack saw this and gave them a look that told them to sit back down and be quiet. And they did. "Raven do you really think we would just hand you over to a couple wearing flower shirts on them do you? Do you realize that not only did we have to give you up to a couple we didn't know, but to one in a different world?" She hadn't thought of that.

"But why would you do it and keep him?" Raven's eyes shot to Briar who's face gave to the obvious that he wanted to ask the same thing. "Was I not….good enough? Or was it because I was a girl? Or-," Sally shook her head vigorously and Jack came to kneel next to Raven.

His bone fingers touched her shoulder. "Not for any of those reasons, you were more than good enough. Raven we had no idea we could even have a child so you were a more than welcomed surprise. Seeing you're face swaddled when you were born and seeing that not only did I have a child, but a daughter brought on feelings I had never felt before."

Sally chimed in again. "We had to give you up because there were…" She searched for a good word. "_Others _who wanted to hurt you and we couldn't let that happen. We gave you up to protect you." Sally cradled Raven's cheek in her blue hand. "Other seasons and holiday lands didn't understand why you were born or who you would be. You're father had done something no one should ever had." Again with the motherly tone she sent a look to Jack who looked away sheepishly. "It was all done _for_ you, Raven."

"Oh gag me." Briar cut in. His face was slightly pink with frustration. "So what if you grew up somewhere else? You're here now aren't you." It was more of a detest than comfort but no one really picked up on it.

"Yes Briar's right." Sally nodded to her son's detest. "You are here now dear Raven and we are more than thrilled to have you here." She smoothed Raven's tangled hair and smiled. Raven felt her chest fill with an emotion she wasn't quite use to and had to quickly remind herself why she was here. And it wasn't to spend time with them.

Slowly she met her mother and father's eyes. "I need to tell you why I am really here." Then their faces fell. They didn't like how she had said it. "I am really happy, ecstatic even that I finally get to meet you but…" she took a deep breathe, "The real reason I came is because Willow said you can fix this." She pointed to her stitches and scaring. Wait. Where was the pesky pixie anyway? "Wait, where _is _Willow?" She looked to Becky and Billy who both looked like they had no idea.

"The Sprite?" Jack asked and Raven nodded. "She most likely went back to her Hollow, she has not seen her own family in 18 years." The double meaning was evident.

Raven felt guilty now looking at the couple. She had given them false hopes after all. "Jack, Sally" their names were odd and she forced herself to say them. "I really wish I could have come here on good standards but I can't. I just want…" She gnawed her bottom lip. "I just want to go back to my life." Her voice was meek. "Before any of this started to happen." Jack and Sally exchanged looks on their faces that looked like understanding because they did. They had known since Raven was born if she were ever to come back, she would not want to stay with them but return to her own life. Without them. No matter how much it hurt them to do so, they had to. For her.

"Good." Briar cut in once more and everyone was starting to become aggravated with him. "Mom and Dad can fix you and you can go back to you're humans." Billy glared at the teen and felt his anger boil.

"What is your issue?" He snapped, standing quickly. "What has **my **sister done to you? Huh?"

Briar crossed the room in three strides, he was tall, and got in Billy's face though he was a good inch or 3 taller. "Do you really want to know?" Everyone was quiet but Sally had a look of horror on her face. Briar couldn't tell them, not now. "My issue is that because she," He pointed a finger at Raven, "showed her face in town I can no longer be the Heir!" His teeth were clenched and his stance faltered some when he didn't see Billy cower.

"So that's it?" Raven spoke up again. "That's why you want me here?" She looked at Sally and Jack. Both shook their head but she didn't seem to notice. "Get this off my face and let me return back home." She tried not to sound demanding but it did come off as so.

Jack looked his daughter straight in the eyes. "I will do that." He lightly touched where the stitches began, at the edge of her mouth, and ended in the middle of her pale cheeks. "But that is all I can do. You will still be a Skellington, still have Halloween in your blood, and still be an Heir to the Pumpkin Patch. The scars will return in a few years." This shattered Raven's hopes of being normal, well her normal. She could never have her eternal life with Alexander now. "There, it's done." He pulled his hands away and stepped back, his face was withdrawn. Raven touched her face feeling nothing and looked to Becky for confirmation: she nodded but her eyes gave way to the sadness now in the room.

"Let's go." Raven said standing quickly fighting the tears in her eyes. Right then she wanted nothing more than to run home and hug Sarah, _her mom_, like she used to when she was little and be comforted. But that was a long ways away and she didn't know how to get home. It didn't matter, she didn't want to be in this house anymore. Sally watched with understanding as her only daughter and friends walked out the front door. She'd give anything to have Raven stay but it wasn't her choice, she knew this would happen. But it still hurt.

Raven was at the estate gates when Becky and Billy caught up to her. "What was that?" Becky asked giving Raven a confused look. "We come all this way for you to walk away? For nothing?" This was the first time Raven had seen her best friend so frustrated, so angry. "You can not just walk away like that. Who cares if your supposed brother is being an idiot, those are the two people," The word was carefully chosen, "Who gave you life." Becky was shocked in herself for saying that.

Raven on the other hand had her own response. "How? You really want to ask me that? Fine here it is." She started out the gate. "That's how. I can not stand the idea that all they want from me is to take over this throne or whatever!" She started back down the cobblestone street and wasn't surprised to see the towns 'people' out and looking at her.

Becky and Billy followed and Becky quickly answered. "Didn't you listen? That isn't what they wanted at all or that skeleton, Jack, your dad! If that's what he wanted do you think he would have taken away your stitches and scars? Do you?" Her voice had risen to a level neither girl had heard before. "All they wanted was to spend time with you and know about you. _You are their daughter _and they haven't seen you since you were born!"

"You don't know that." Raven said quietly. Up ahead the trio could see the pumpkin patch and Raven started to walk faster to it. It meant she was a third of the way home. "I just want to go home and forget this place."

Becky was about to say something but Billy beat her to it. "Don't you mean you want to see Alexander?" That stopped both girls. Raven turned around and looked at her brother but was almost enraged to see people behind him. Not only people, but Sally and Jack were rushing up to them looking like they had seen a ghost. That was probably a bad simile.

"Why would you say that?" She asked Billy trying to ignore them.

He could only scoff. "Because he's right there." He pointed to the pumpkin patch and she quickly spun around. Sure enough, there Alexander was and from what she could see, he looked like he hadn't spent his night sleeping. With him she saw a woman with bright red hair and fangs exposed. What was going on? Just as the thought crossed her mind, Alexander looked up and met her eyes. Granted they had only been apart for about a day and a half but it didn't matter. The second they saw each other everything seemed to be forgiven. Raven felt her body react without even wanting to and she sprinted over to him. Alexander did the same only with his enhanced speed he reached her first and wrapped his arms around her. "I knew it." Billy muttered but it fell to deaf ears.

"Raven I am so sorry." Alexander murmured into her hair and kissed her cheek. The Goth girl only shook her head and kissed his lips. "So. Sorry. I didn't tell you. That I knew." He said in between kisses.

Raven shook her head and finally the tears came. "I don't care. I really don't, just take me home please." He nodded and turned around to face Lillian but took a step back when he saw her. Lillian had her fangs out and a small growl came from her throat. He followed her gaze and his own fangs snapped out when he saw the two people. "What?" Raven turned and looked at Jack and Sally. "It's okay…" Then it sunk in. No it wasn't okay. Because it couldn't be, they were enemies. She saw Jack and Sally's expression and Jack's face contorted into something that made her cower into Alexander. Jack let out a horrid sound and the two vampires hissed and growled.

"What's going on?" Billy jumped to grab onto Raven who looked equally scared. Becky joined them and the three slowly moved to stay closer to the headstones.

"_You_." Jack spat still making the horrid noise. He glared at Alexander who growled back. "You stay away from **my** daughter." Now Jack was screaming. This made Alexander stopped and looked to Raven who nodded. His face fell and his fangs retracted, his noises ceasing. Lillian on the other hand continued but looked confused.

Even though Alexander knew who Raven really was, it still wasn't the same as hearing it for the first time. He returned his dark gaze to the Pumpkin King and glowered. "Raven may be your daughter, but she is **my **soul mate." This caused the King and Queen of Halloween to gasp and stare at Raven. Not only did they stare but it looked like they were now looking at something they else, something foreign…A monster.

"Tell me it isn't true Raven." Sally all but begged her daughter. Raven shook her head and tears started down the rag doll's face.

Why does it ma-," She stopped feeling something on her face and she touched her cheek, it hurt. No, burned. "Huh, oh." She gasped and the burning continued. Her eyes went wide and she dropped to her knees; in the same second Alexander reached out and put his arms around her to keep her from hurting herself more. He gaped in horror as he saw what was hurting her. The stitches were back. "No." Raven groaned and Sally rushed over to her side. Alexander almost hissed again but when he saw the doll's face he allowed her near Raven.

"Oh honey I am so sorry for this." Her tears ran down her face and one dropped onto Raven. Right where her blue birthmark was.

Alexander looked at Sally with a desperate look. "What's happening to her?" He demanded before looking back down at Raven. She was still kneeling and had rested her head on his shoulder. Her face was paler than he had ever seen and was starting to be clammy. Her eyes…oh he had loved to look in those forest eyes but right then he only wanted to cry. Her eyes were focused on him and had helplessness in them. "Please," Tears threatened to spill and Sally could finally see the love he had for Raven. "Tell me what I can do for her."

Jack was the one who answered as he came up to them and knelt down. He had returned to his normal face and now he was only concerned. "You can't help her. She's changing." He stated as he looked at his daughter cradled in the arms of his enemy.

"Into what?" Raven asked as she still touched her cheek feeling the stitches lace into her skin. The burning continued and her salty tears only made it worse. "What am I?" She demanded and tried to claw at the stitch. Alexander grabbed her hand knowing it would only make it worse.

"You're turning into…" Jack swallowed hating himself for what he had done to this poor girl. "Into-," He couldn't say it.

Lillian had had enough of this. "You're turning into the true form of the Halloween Town Heir. A monster."

**A/N: Y'all better love me for this chapter. Six pages and 3,441 words! **

**Raven: I'm exhausted for you!**

**Alexander: And thank you for making me sensitive in this chapter. You usually don't.**

**LBVBA: It was my pleasure lover boy.**

**All: Review!**


	19. Hysteria

**A/N: I hope you guys liked the last chapter because there aren't very many after, 5 or 6 at most I think. I just wanna say this little dedication:**

_**ImDifferentSoWhat, **_**thanks for being a great reader. You know why I'm saying it!**

**Now on with chapter 18! Oh crap….is it really chapter 18? -passes out in rabbit hole-**

**Raven: She listened to Lost it All by BVB, In Pieces by Linkin Park, and Hello by Evanescence when writing this, just saying! -dives in after-**

**Chapter.18**

**Hysteria**

"_You're turning into the true form of the Halloween Town Heir. A monster." _

_No. _

_Not a monster._

_**Just a girl.**_

_Please. _

These were the words Raven repeated to herself as she stared at her new family and her love. Lillian's words had sunken in like ice in her heart and no matter how she wished the vampire was wrong, she knew she wasn't. Raven just closed her eyes as she heard gasps and murmurs from the company around her as her body changed without her permission. She felt things snap and things place themselves where they hadn't ever been. Her face still burnt but now she was only numb to it. She was becoming something _else_, something she didn't want to be.

"Is that…"

"How can…"

She didn't let herself hear them and by no means wanted to see it. She latched her hands onto Alexander who seemed to have gone slack and let the tears run down her face. "I'm sorry." She whispered before feeling the worst pain she had ever felt take over her. It was blinding, burning, numbing….euphoric. While pain would move through out her body a feeling of light and calm would settle where it once was. It was unnerving to think she was just in the slightest enjoying the pain now.

"Don't be sorry." She heard Alexander's hoarse voice. "It's just you." That made Raven open her eyes. _Just you. _He didn't say anything but that, and his voice sounded…genuine. Because it didn't matter to him what Raven's form was, he didn't need to. Raven pulled back slowly from Alexander, feeling her body move in ways it never had and looked in his eyes. His dark irises appeared cloudy with sorrow but she could see the love that surfaced slowly. Then she saw her reflection…and was sickened by it. She wanted to cry seeing herself in his eyes, wanted to be sick, to run away and hide forever. Because _it wasn't her_. Not the self Raven had seen for years. She stumbled out of his arms and fell back hitting a tombstone. Then she saw everyone's expressions and reactions. Jack looked on with deep regret, Sally was crying with a hand over her mouth, the red haired vampire still had fangs bared, Alexander only looked at her shocked and Billy…oh Billy. Raven felt what little heart she had left break seeing her brother and best friend. Before they had cowered and hidden from Briar and Jack, now they did because of her. Billy trembled and was latched tightly to Becky with horror struck. Becky had tears in her eyes that seemed to scared to fall and her mouth was open with awe. Raven couldn't think of any time she had seen either so scared.

Alexander watched as Raven took everything in. His heart broke seeing what she was becoming but tried to still think of the flawless skinned, dark hair, gem eyed beauty he had fallen in love with. Then he realized how shallow he was being and was disgusted in himself. How could he judge Raven, his eternal love, when he himself was farthest from saint or perfection? She had said sorry, but for what? This was out of her control, she had no reason to be sorry. "It's only you." And that was true. This was Raven, a part he had never seen but would have to and get used to it. She couldn't deny her lineage and he wasn't going to make her. But when she moved away he felt his heart crack slowly. She had crawled away from him like she had seen her worst fear, was it him? It wasn't much time to think as he watched carefully her transition. What looked to be bruises were blossoming under her skin but weren't turning any but a very, very light blue…like Sally's. Her hands…once perfect with black polish were now turning darker than the rest of her skin turning her fingertips the darkest black and continuing up to her elbow like gloves. The stitching on her face had spread from the corners of her black lips to her hairline, when she opened her mouth slightly the closest stitch to it parted. Her eyes are what shocked him the most. The whites of them seemed to no longer exist and were enveloped in black, her emerald irises were now the same blue as her turning skin. Flowing from her hew eyes were what could look like mascara running but thicker, like veins and trailed to stop right above the stitches. She looked menacing and yet at her most beautiful. Most perfect. But there was something in the way she moved…something off. No longer did she move like she used to, her body was more fluid and with purpose. Raven stood up and from what he could tell she was a few inches if not a foot taller and was maybe an inch shorter than he. Her body looked thinner and lankier, her clothes looked smaller, and that's when he noticed it. Not only did Raven's mouth give way to opening but her white teeth were now sharpened looking more like a sharks. Her k-9's were sharpest giving off a false vampire appeal.

"See a monster." He vaguely heard from behind him but refused to acknowledge it, he was awe stricken by this new creature, this new Raven. "And monsters need to be killed." Now he paid attention. In his haze Lillian had taken advantage of everyone being distracted and had pulled something from her waistband. She was headed straight for Raven with a look that could kill hundreds. She raised the object high over Raven and moved quickly.

"No!" It wasn't only one voice that said so, four actually. The first was of course Alexander who reached to stop Lillian, the second and third were Jack and Sally fearing for their lost daughters new life, and the last…well that was unexpected. The voice was deep and the owner moved so quick even Alexander couldn't follow them and he wasn't able to stop Lillian until the object was met with something that could only been a body. But not Raven's. Instead there was a pale body blocking the object and they hissed in pain. "Damnit." Alexander didn't recognize the person but immediately knew they belonged to Halloween Town. The boy laying there was younger than he and maybe Raven's current height, dark hair that was choppy and covered half his face, dark eyes and stitches. _No. _Alexander knew who this was.

"Briar no!" Sally shrieked and ran over to her only son. Jack was quick and helped Alexander restrain Lillian who was only laughing menacingly. _"You!" _Sally screeched at the hysterical vampire. "What have you done to my son?!" No one had ever seen Sally this enraged, not even Jack and everyone was taken aback. Jack had to hold onto this wife and queen so she wouldn't tear Lillian with her hands even though he wished to do exactly the same but in the least humane way possible. However Raven could only stare at Briar. From his chest was something metallic with a hilt that gleamed with something crimson and liquid inside it. A dagger. She didn't know or want to know what it was but knew she had to get it out of Briar. He laid on the stone ground still hissing in pain and his hands searched blindly for the knife piercing him but couldn't focus enough to.

"I am so sorry." He heard and focused to see the horrifying, but normal to him, face of what was now his lost sister. "Briar, please hold on." Then the pain stopped. For a moment. There was a sickening sound of flesh and muscle moving that made everyone turn to look and made the two humans regret it instantly. Becky couldn't even look at the sight before her before feeling like she was going to vomit and Billy had to sit down behind a headstone so he could try to make sense out of any of this. He hadn't liked Briar but he didn't think anyone deserved this. Raven was busy trying to figure out a way to stop the bleeding from Briar's pale chest. "Why would you do this?" She whispered and saw a faint smile on her brother's face. She blinked a few times before seeing that hidden behind his mouth were teeth equally as sharp as her new ones. Then he lifted his hand and she could see the same thing on his that was on hers.

"Because you are my sister." He laughed. "And as much as I hate to admit it, that is what you are and this is what you are becoming." Now she laughed. Briar had said only a few snide comments to her since they met and didn't expect to hear any of this or be sitting with him bleeding in her lap.

There was snarling from behind Raven but she didn't pay any mind, she had to help Briar. "You can't just die like this, saving someone you don't even know." It was true even if cynical and blunt.

Again he laughed. "I'm not dying, she didn't inject the serum in me." Raven gave him a confused look and applied more pressure to where blood flow was slowing. He flinched. "I'll be fine, I just need," A sharp intake of breath, "to rest. This does hurt like a bitch though." Raven figured it did, took off her borrowed sweater, and wrapped it around his shoulders. She didn't know why she did it but felt the need to. As she looked at Briar she couldn't help but feel less like she did minutes ago. She wasn't a monster at all, just something _else_. Something _rare_. She wasn't alone, there was another Heir that looked just like her. As Raven helped Briar to stand and he leaned against her she noticed the scene that was taking place. The red haired vampire that Alexander had come with was in a fit of hysteria as she howled obscene things, Sally was still in Jack's arms squirming to get out and rip apart the vampire, Becky and Billy hid behind tombstones like children from unknown creatures. Becky's eyes widened seeing Raven and Briar in their true forms now and slowly nodded as if she finally understood.

"Raven." Alexander breathed a sigh of relief before going back to restraining Lillian who didn't seem to be stopping her insanity any time soon. That's when Raven decided to listen to her words.

"You can't stop this from happening!" She yelled and laughed again, her crimson tendrils wild. "They will die, they must!" She jabbed fingers at the two Heirs, Briar flinched again and Raven had the protective instinct to hide him from Lillian. "They're coming! Already on their way!" Raven stepped forward to Lillian and glowered. "They will kill you, you will die even if I don't get the pleasure from doing so!"

Raven felt like smacking the dead light from her. "Who? Who's on their way?" She demanded and Lillian laughed more. "**Who. Is. Coming**." Her voice changed into something she had never heard before, like a hundred voices at once and was momentarily shocked. It stopped Lillian enough to get a straight answer.

"The rest of us! My kind, other worlds, other holidays! Everyone is coming and it's just for you, little _Pumpkin Patch Princess!" _She seethed and her eyes darted to wounded Briar. "And him too. They didn't know about him but they will be more than pleased to kill you both!" That's when Lillian collapsed with blood coming from the middle of her forehead.

And Hell broke loose.

**A/N: How Raven now looks is perfect in my mind and I have pictures of it that I did on myself and friends so I'll try and post them sometime, hopefully before this story ends. **

**Raven: I. Am. Bad. Ass.**

**LBVBA: You're welcome?**

**Alexander: I'm glad you went with this and not the other chapter you wrote.**

**LBVBA: it was a unanimous vote -glares at Raven-**

**Raven: Don't hate.**

**LBVBA: Review, or I'll kill off Briar.**

**Briar: why do I have to die?**

**LBVBA: Fine, review or I'll stop the story here, kay?**


	20. On My Life

**A/N: The beginning is confusing but bare with me, you'll understand later. **

_Once upon a time, a doll and a skeleton fell in love and lived happily ever after._

_But some didn't agree with their love and decided to end their happy ever after._

_Once upon a time a girl was born and was called a monster and sent away._

_Once upon a time a boy was born and was hidden from the world. _

_Everything was ok until the girl returned and the boy was hurt. Then some decided they didn't deserve a happily ever after either. _

_Once upon a time, a vampire had to make the hardest decision of his life. _

**Chapter.19**

**On My Life**

_The rest of us,_ she had said, _pleased to kill you both. _Then she was dead. Dead on the ground with blood darker than red coming from her head. Poetically tragic but a too good death for Lillian. The thing was, none of those present did it. Instead, it came from far behind them all and Raven had turned her self all around to see where the death blow had come from.

_And all Hell broke loose._

In once second, Raven was holding Briar up and everyone stood over Lillian's corpse and in the next Raven was thrown back with no one in her arms and her body collided with something. Hard. There was an explosion from where Lillian once was and everyone went flying except the two humans who were still hidden behind headstones. Alexander flew over ten feet away and landed in a heap next to a gate. Sally and Jack weren't anywhere to be seen but from the groans that came from the peak of a hill, that's where they must have landed. "Briar." Raven groaned and made herself stand up even though she could barely see. "Briar." She yelled this time but heard nothing.

Alexander could barely stand as he limped to where he could see Raven stumbling. What had happened? Lillian had _exploded _but was that possible? It must have been since there was blood and bits of flesh scattered about. "Raven." He called to her and grabbed her arm, she jerked away but then focused. There was noise coming from behind them and he looked behind, almost wishing he hadn't. From the edge of the woods looked like an armada of supernatural. Some he didn't recognize but others he sadly did. "No." He moaned as he saw who was at the front of the small army. _His father and mother. _

"Is that…?" Raven looked up at him and he was relived to see her eyes had returned back to the green he knew and the black slowly receded. He nodded answering her and then her eyes turned icy once more. "How could they?" Raven had been fond of Constantine and Cassandra and it broke her immortal heart to see them at the head of those who wanted her dead.

"Raven!" She turned back to see Sally walking to her looking almost unscathed except for a missing arm. Raven could see on the doll's face that it was the last thing on her mind, Jack however looked like he had been beaten numb. One side of his skull had been indented and left eye socket was cracking. But he never looked more menacing. "Where's Briar?" Sally asked seeing Raven wasn't hurt except for a cut to her forehead and collar bone. Raven shook her head but pointed to the army of people who wanted her and her brother dead. "Nothing is going to happen to you, I swear my life on it." What scared Raven most was the look her parents gave her told her that they meant it with everything they had. Jack came up from behind them holding Briar's limp body but the boy's eyes were open and he looked around sleepily.

"You." Jack looked down at Alexander who held his bleeding side. "Get my children to the world of the living." Then he bent down and said something too low for anyone else to hear but from Alexander's expression, it wasn't something he had expected but he nodded. Jack held out Briar and the vampire took the weak boy in his arms. "If anything happens to either of them that isn't suppose to, you know exactly what I am capable of."

Alexander nodded and lifted Briar onto his back. "I understand…" He swallowed, "Your highness." Jack looked slightly confused but didn't press as he ushered Raven, Becky, and Billy to follow Alexander. He stopped Raven for a second and looked down at her. "This will not be the last time we see each other, I refuse to let it be. I didn't say good bye to you when you were born and I am not going to now." He kissed her forehead and gave a sad smile. "I am so sorry, my daughter, for you having to become this but I know a way for you to get the life you want back." His eyes looked to Alexander for a second then back to hers. "Nothing that shouldn't is going to happen to you." Then he pushed her to follow Alexander who stood next to a mausoleum's open door. "Go." She did before giving her parents she barely knew a saddened look before ducking into the mausoleum.

"There's a door on the right, it leads back to the cemetery in Dullsville." Alexander motioned for Becky to open it and the farm girl did slowly. "We have to get you two and him," He motioned to Briar who was half awake on Alexander's back, "Back to the Madison's. You will be safe there while Raven and I stay in the cemetery." Then they all went through.

The last time the two humans had gone through it was a dizzying experience that had little to no motive but now they went through almost sprinting for their life. Raven went in next, not looking at anyone as she tried to hide her tears. No matter what Jack had said, she still knew this would be goodbye and she wasn't ready for it to be; she had just entered this life and was not about to give it up.

Once they had all stepped through the portal and landed safely in the cemetery was when Alexander had given a now fully awake Briar to Billy. The two boys were roughly the same height and Billy could support the Heir's weight. "Becky, you drive to Raven's home and stay there. Tell Paul and Sarah…" He searched for the words. "Tell them that plans have changed and Raven is safe. They will know what has happened and only tell them Briar is from Halloween Town, that is it." Becky slowly nodded but Billy stopped him.

"No, what is going on." He demanded and helped Briar stand up right. "How is Raven going to be safe?" His eyes darted to his sister and her tears. "I'm not leaving her until you tell me what is going to happen." Briar groaned and nodded his agreement.

Alexander looked at them pleadingly. "I can't te-," But Raven cut him off.

"You have to change me." Her voice was hoarse. "Don't you?" All eyes went to her but she was focused on Alexander. "That's how I'll be safe. The vampires won't want me dead because I'll be like you and the holidays will think I am dead." It came out as quickly as a breathe. "Right?" Alexander nodded slowly and looked away from their wandering eyes. That was all Raven needed before she finally let herself breakdown. It was true she had always wanted to be a vampire but deep down she knew that if she were to become on, she'd be giving up her place on the Halloween Town throne, giving up any powers she didn't know she had yet, she wouldn't be able to enter Halloween Town anymore. She'd be giving up the family and life she always subconsciously longed for. It meant however that Raven could spend eternity with Alexander, see the family she had always known, and still be with Becky. The weight of it made her tears only fall more.

"Take Briar back to your house, Billy." Alexander said softly and gave his keys to his beloved car to Becky. The two humans and Heir quietly left the cemetery fearing of anything that lurked or made any noise. Alexander wrapped his arms around his now blue love. "I won't do it, if that is what you want." He pulled her close and rested her head on his shoulder. Even if they had just barely escaped a blood bath, which was probably going on right this second, he wasn't going to make her do anything she wasn't ready for. "We'll find a different way to keep you safe, I don't care what happens to me so long as you're safe." He slowly started to sway with her in a way that reminded Raven of being rocked as a baby.

But his words only made Raven cry more and she choked on her sobs. "No," hiccup, "I can't endanger anyone else." She looked at his dark eyes with her black and blue ones, feeling the confliction take her over; as she looked down at herself she noticed the black and blue on her hands was receding, her skin taking on it's normal pigment. She felt her teeth with the tip of her finger and noticed only her K-9's still remained abnormally sharp. "I wish I could just show up like this and they think I was one of you." But it wouldn't work as Alexander noticed her eyes weren't changing back to green, they were permanently this way it seemed. "I am so sorry this happening, sorry that I turned out to be this…_thing_, that your parents want to kill me, that I've come into your life only to ruin it. I'm sorry…" She swallowed and had to force the words that she had been thinking for some time out. "_I'm sorry that we met_."

And that's when Alexander's heart officially broke. "No." He shook his head and pulled her closer. "No, never regret that. You do not ever, _ever_," His voice was borderline hysterics, "say that you are sorry for meeting me, Raven. You are the best thing to ever happen to me in this life or any." His own tears threatened to fall and he pulled back to kiss Raven. She was unresponsive but he refused to let anything end between them. "Raven look at me." He put his hands on either side of her face, "It wouldn't have mattered if you came to the manor the night I invited you to dinner. I would have searched for you because the moment I saw you in front of my house in that tennis outfit, I fell in love with you. It would not have mattered if you rejected me, I would still love you as I do this very moment. I don't care who you are, what your lineage is," His voice was becoming thick as he tried to keep himself under control, "You know I love you, I don't regret meeting you, so you don't either." But his words wouldn't register to Raven. She had heard them but couldn't respond, her mind wouldn't let her even though she wanted nothing more than to tell Alexander she didn't mean what she said and to bite her, she would handle the repercussions later. But she couldn't respond. She had to do what she thought was right, even if it hurt the one she loved most.

Instead she shook her head and pulled out of his arms. "No." Was all she said before she turned and jumped through the portal leading back in Halloween Town. This wasn't anyone's fight but her own. Seeing Briar hurt made Raven finally open her eyes and see what was going on. No one was going to die tonight.

_Except her_.

**A/N: I feel like this was the worst chapter yet but I had to push things along quickly and get rid of Becky, Billy, and Briar for now.**

**Raven: So that's it. You're going to kill me.**

**Alexander: I do not approve of this!LBVBA: Oh stop being drama queens, have you not learned anything about me and my writing? Anyways review!**


	21. In Halloween Town

**A/N: I have a surprise in store for some reviewers. I'll let you all know on the final chapter. Oh! And if there are mentions from Cryptic Cravings and Immortal Hearts so if you're confused, message me!**

**Chapter. 20**

***In Halloween Town***

Sometimes in life and in death you have to do things you never want to. No matter what it does to you. What happens to you. Only for the ones you love.

Jack watched as his children escaped through the portal, only some comfort came from it. He knew they would be safe, the humans who had taken in Raven would hide both Briar and her away, keep them safe from any harm. He hated himself for lying to Raven but he couldn't have her thinking this would be the last time they would see each other, he needed her to have hope for the both of them. "Jack?" A voice broke his concentration and he looked down to his wife, his queen Sally. The worry in her face made his anger boil, he was going to end whoever made his Sally suffer.

"They'll be safe." He wrapped his bony arms around her in attempted comfort but he wasn't sure now. The chances of these supernatural beings overpowering them and their small militia of Halloween Town was great and Jack knew it. Sally knew it. Everyone did. The two vampires at the front of the armada walked forward through the cemetery gates and stopped when there was only a handful of headstones between them and the Halloween royals.

"Jack Skellington." The male vampire said exposing fangs as he looked at the couple. From behind them, Halloween Town residents had gathered readying for a fight. The vampires that did dwell in the town were surprised to see their brethren on the opposed side.

"Constantine Sterling." Jack met his tone with authority. "Why have you come here and brought these others with?" Jack was a master at stalling. Constantine laughed and took another step forward.

"Now Jack you know very well what we've come for." Jack didn't budge and kept his stance, Sally safely behind him. "Your child."…..wait. He only said _child_, he didn't say daughter or Raven. They didn't know Raven was one of the Heirs. Jack held onto that fact and stared blankly at Constantine.

Cassandra spoke up. "Produce your Heir now and we will all peacefully go." Her voice carried that she knew something her husband did not and she looked deeply saddened by it. "Please." She knew. Cassandra knew the Heir that they had to end was her son's eternal love and it killed her.

"No." Sally moved from behind Jack. "You will not hurt my children, you will not damage what little joy we have left." Her voice wasn't that of the doll she had been created to be, not it was the voice of a queen, of a mother. Sally looked pleadingly to Cassandra. "Please, would you want someone to take your son? Or your daughter Athena?" That struck a nerve in both vampires.

"How dare you compare my children to your abomination!" Constantine howled and his fangs bared. The other supernaturals behind him did the same. "Dear Sally," Jack wasn't fond of his words or tone. "Did you say _children?_" The rag doll's eyes went wide and she quickly covered her mouth as if she could force the words back down her throat. From where Jack stood in front of his people he saw some Holidays there who protested Raven being born. The Pilgrims were still opposed as was the Easter Rabbit. Many vampires gathered among the edge of the woods but Jack couldn't recall any of them. All seemed intrigued by the idea of ending not only one but two Heirs.

"Please brother." One of the Halloween Town vampires stepped forward in all ghoulness. "Do not be closed minded."

"We have seen the children." Another, shorter one stepped forward using their umbrella to hide their face. "They do no harm and grow like any other. Neither shows any nature to harm others." Constantine was enraged to see his own kind going against him. "Do not make any foolish decisions on your own resentful notion." That didn't help.

Constantine let out a loud screech and focused back on the King and Queen of Halloween. "Produce **both** your children now or I will be forced to act!" But neither budged. "Fine, have it your way." But before he could act, something came through the portal. Some_one_ did.

"Stop this!" Constantine smirked seeing who stepped through. Alexander and with him was Raven. "Father why are you doing this?" Alexander had Raven safely hidden behind him so no one could see her eyes even if the rest of her looked normal. "I have seen the Halloween Town Heirs, they are nothing like we thought. Both are like any other children, they are growing and kind." He tightened his grip on Raven who was still thinking of quickly outing herself. You see when Raven had stepped through the portal, a part of her mind made a last second decision and she had reached for Alexander who took her hand easily. They had both fallen into the portal and now ended up here. The only thing that Raven was surprised at was a fight hadn't broken out yet. Did time flow differently here? Probably not but she didn't understand why it seemed only a minute had passed here.

"Oh?" Constantine looked at Alexander. "Then tell me, my son. Who are these Heirs?" Alexander tensed and Raven slowly moved from behind him. She tried not to look too suspicious but the second she moved, the elder vampire's eyes was on her. He looked slightly saddened to see her and it gave Raven a little blossom of hope that he would change his mind. That hope was shattered by the look in his eyes. "Raven," his voice curled her name in a way she didn't like. "I am sorry for this happening to you but…" He took a deep breathe. "But I have obligations to my kind." And if you think Hell is when you see a body blow up in front of you, then you should tread carefully. One second Raven stood next to Alexander, in the next she was pinned against a mausoleum. Alexander went to pull his father off but his arms were pinned behind him by other, older vampires. Jack and Sally made their move but the Holidays quickly took them. "I do wish you didn't have to end like this." Constantine looked down at her and his gaze faltered when he saw the tears in her eyes. True, was slightly frightened seeing the blue and black but behind them he could see her green human irises and felt how he and Cassandra came to love her like a daughter. Was he really going to do this to her? Constantine shook his head and pulled a similar blade that Lillian had from his waistband, he had to.

Raven looked at the man who had only a year earlier said he would be pleased to call her his daughter. Her tears blurred her vision but she could still see his face and it hurt knowing how much Alexander looked like him. They had the same bone structure, same set jaws, wide brown eyes, everything. Raven closed her eyes waiting for the final blow. In a sudden rush, things started to fill her mind. Things, it seemed, she had heard or seen since before she could remember. Clearly in her head she could see the nights she spent awake watching Bela Lugosi's Dracula with Paul and Sarah. The day they brought Billy home from the hospital, her first day of school, meeting Becky in second grade. Getting in trouble for pranks and wearing sun glasses in class. She remembered everything from her childhood, the childhood she only had because Jack and Sally were selfless enough to let her go. A sob broke through her lips as she thought of everything that lead up to this day. The lies, the holding back, the truth. Everything flooded into her mind and her body went slack as she crumpled to the ground and out of Constantine's grasp. She wrapped her arms around her head as voices trailed in and she tried not to give in. The first time she had spent the night in Alexander's coffin, the first time they kissed on his couch, when they first spoke to each other, the night they first met. _Halloween_.

Raven gasped as something in her shook and clicked like a puzzle finally finished; parts of her burned, her neck, her hands, her back but she couldn't stop it. Only when she finally struggled to stand right did the burning stop and she heard gasps around her. Raven's eyes flew open and she took in the scene before her. Constantine was on the ground barely breathing like the wind had been knocked out of him, her parents were still restrained but they looked to her in awe. Everyone, supernatural and Holiday looked at her like they had seen something beautifully tragic appear before their eyes.

Alexander could only stare, his lips slightly parted as he took her in. She had been in Constantine's trap for a second before she crumpled to the ground and now…now she was standing, her posture perfect and her features that of what her true form was. Only advanced. The stitching on her mouth had continued down her face to wrap around her neck like a sick three wrapped chocker. The black tears that appeared below her eyes seemed darker bringing out the blue of her changing irises. No longer did her hands fade from black to blue but so did her now bare feet; the very light blue went up her body, her stomach and neck were now covered by it too. And her back…where a black t-shirt had covered was now ripped to shreds as to black bone protruded from her. A sick wet sound made everyone cringe as the bone unfolded to show off what looked to be leather wings. Not only just wings, bat like wings. Raven looked the epitome of Halloween and it's horrors.

She looked like the abomination the Vampires and Holidays feared she'd be.

**A/N: I. Hate. This. Chapter. I know I say it a lot now but I genuinely do. I don't know where it came from but I don't like it and feel it's a filler. **

**Raven: you gave me badass wings, I think it's fine.**

**LBVBA: Thanx. Anyway, I should say it now, there's only two chapters left and maybe an epilogue and then you reviewers get your gift. **

**Raven: So review!**


	22. Shadows Die

**A/N: While writing I literally said "oh shit this is chapter 21?!" It feels so weird that this story got so far but all good, or mediocre, things must come to an end and if you know why this chapter is called Shadows Die ***cough*itsasong*cough* **then brownie points!**

**I was listening to Lost it All and Done for You by BVB when writing, just a thought. **

**Chapter.21**

**Shadow's Die**

All on eyes were on her. Not a single person dared move as Raven stood over all of them. She was breathing hard and she looked down at those who she loved and loved her back, and those who wanted her dead. "Enough." One word but it held the voice of many, almost like a legion. "You wish me dead," She addressed the vampires and Holidays, "out of hatred. But I see now that the fate is fuelled by fear, fear of what I can become. And now you've brought this on yourselves." Black shadows started to slip from her blackened fingers and fell upon them like a mist. "I can only say you were warned." The mist coated her enemies and with so much as a flick of her wrist, a handful of vampires were no longer. Their bodies had erupted and blood spattered those around them but she didn't stop there. The black mist fell on more and some even tried to run from it and hide in the Hallow woods but it caught them and drug them back. Many of the vampires erupted like others but some fell to their knees shrieking as they held their heads. 'Make it stop!' many of them screamed but Raven only looked the other way and went onto the Holidays. Her full sharp teeth were bared as she looked at the Pilgrims and Rabbit. "You out of everyone deserve to die most." The mist suddenly turned into solid and wrapped around the rabbit's neck and squeezed. "Wanting me dead as a baby, do you know how terrible of a person you have to be to want a baby to die?" Her anger was visibly rising and she took a hold of a woman Pilgrim with her hand and lifted her above the others. "I didn't want to do this, but you all leave me no choice." She squeezed the woman's neck until an audible _snap!_ echoed around them. Many vampires still fell and were screaming for mercy but none were shown any.

Raven's family only watched in awe and horror. Jack and Sally were awestruck to see what their daughter had become but sickened all the same. Alexander was horrified to see her like this, he knew the real Raven wouldn't want this, she would never want to be what this girl was now. Alexander feared for his parents lives as he saw they were cowering before her and was truly showing no mercy to anyone. He could see she was saving her worst for them. Alexander couldn't let her do it.

Many more were screaming as they fell to their deaths but they fell to deaf ears as far as this new Raven was concerned. Finally her eyes fell on the leaders of the vampires. Cassandra clung to her husband as Raven glowered at them "You knew who I was, you knew I loved Alexander and yet you still wanted me dead. You deserve the same fate." Her left hand lashed out sending the dark mist to wrap around Constantine and her right to hold onto Cassandra. Alexander moved quicker than he could ever and shoved his parents out of the way. The two black mists wrapped around his neck and pulled tighter than anything he had ever felt before. He didn't even think Raven knew it was him as the two mists lifted him high so he was level with her flying body.

"Ra-," He choked and struggled to grab onto the mists but his hands went straight through and all he could do was flail in the open air.

"Raven Skellington!" He heard from the ground and saw Sally looking up at them with horrified eyes. "Leave them alone, you're going to kill him!" She screamed but Raven didn't listen and instead with a numb expression lifted Sally by her waist. The doll struggled against the binds and Jack went into a frenzy trying to get her free but how could he save his wife, when his daughter was the one doing it? "Raven!" Sally gasped trying to free herself but the more she struggled, the tighter the binds would be. Alexander still gasped for air, he was a vampire but oxygen was still essential. When he started to see spots a new voice broke in.

"Raven Madison, you put down your mother right now!" No one recognized the voice except Sally and Jack who stopped struggling and looked to the owner of the voice. Raven let out a feral sound but then calmed and lowered Sally hearing the name she was use to. "Raven Madison, you know you don't want to hurt anyone." She blinked a few times before fully setting Sally down. The sound of slaughtering supernaturals ceased as the black mist pulled back and joined her fingers once more. Alexander dropped from his death bringing height and was forever thankful when he felt someone catch him mid-fall. He looked to see Jack's skeletal body over his as they hit the ground. Jack let him on the ground and the young vampire fell to the ground, falling to lay on his side. Cassandra and Constantine rushed over to make sure their son was okay. Slowly, everyone looked to see who had called Raven out; Jack and Sally were wonderfully surprised to see the King of Christmas himself, Santa Claus. The jolly one in red was looking with concern and slight anger at the Halloween Heir. "Raven Madison, that is who you are and who you were raised to be." His voice was calming to the girl and she slowly lowered herself back on the ground and in one swift motion, her wings pulled themselves back into her back and she groaned at the sudden impact. Santa moved from where he stood next to his sleigh, how could anyone have missed that, to stand in front of Raven. "You're name is Raven Madison, you are the daughter of Paul and Sarah Madison, sister to Billy. You are not this person that has taken over you." As he said this, the features of Raven that told everyone that she was the Heir; her skin pigment turned back to it's normal ivory, the tears on her face receded leaving behind her high cheekbones. Raven blinked a few times and looked around her to the destruction she had caused. Her breathing was hard and she slowly turned to where Alexander still lay on the ground holding his once bleeding side and rubbed at his sore neck. To Alexander, this scene was too familiar. He had seen it in his dream before and he was nervous to see what she would do. He backed away from her slowly and his back collided with a tombstone, Raven looked at him with a look of sadness and pity. She had caused him to fear her, she had become something that terrified the one person that meant more to her than her own life. As the events sunk in, her icy blue and black eyes started to fade into her green irises and whites of her eyes. Finally, it felt like it had been forever that she had them, the stitches slowly unlaced themselves and disappeared all together. She touched her cheek and felt salty tears fall down them.

"Alexander." She whispered and her breathing started to even out. "I did this?" She looked around again before looking to the man in red. Santa slowly nodded and he stepped closer to her, Raven collapsed in his arms. Santa went to rub her back soothingly and let her sob her heart out.

"There, there sweet Raven. You had no control." He meant to be gentle but his words only made her cry more. Jack and Sally, who was still worn from the struggle and attaching her almost forgotten arm, moved closer to their daughter carefully. They feared she would snap and become the fiend again. Jack slowly knelt down and pulled Raven from Mr. Claus and wrapped his arms around her gingerly, Raven wrapped her own arms around her birth father's skeleton and sobbed into his chest. Jack hugged her tight and let her tears soak his jacket. Sally watched the affection as she helped Alexander to stand and made sure he could stand on his own. Alexander couldn't and she helped him to his parents so they could support him. Jack held onto his daughter until she pulled away and wiped her tear stained eyes.

"I-I," she hiccupped and Jack wiped away another tear, "I did all this. And I knew what I was doing b-but I couldn't st-s-stop." Her breathing was fast again and Jack tried to get her to calm down before she was in complete hysterics. "But I wanted to do it. I am a monster, Lillian was right, they were right!" She pointed to the corpses of vampires and pilgrims and to some who were still alive.

Jack looked at her and put one hand onto her face. "No you're not." He shook his head. "You're not a monster, you are a girl who was given a fate that no one could predict. You are whatever you want to be. You are Raven Madison." She blinked a few times before slowly nodding. Jack was right, he had to be. He had given up their life as a family so she could be normal, he wouldn't lie to her now.

"That's right." Sally came to stand next to her and put and arm around her. "You are whoever you want to be, not what you are forced to be." She kissed her daughter's cheek and Raven's tears immediately stopped. "Do you know why we named you Raven?" Amongst all the carnage around them this question seemed so silly to ask but Raven shook her head wanting to know. "Because ravens are never bound to one place, they are free to be wherever and whoever they want." Sally tucked a stray strand of Raven's hear behind her ear.

Alexander looked at the family and then back to his own. Cassandra looked to her son with a worried expression. "Alexander we are so sorry for this, we never meant for anyone to get hurt. I wish we had known Raven was the Heir beforehand, this could have all been avoided." Alexander looked at them with an expression that read 'could it?'. Constantine only looked away ashamed of what he had done. "One day I hope you can forgive us, that Raven," it pained her to say the name, "can forgive us."

"One day." Alexander nodded and moved away from his parents and looked at Raven. Both teens knew there would be serious repercussions to their relationship to say the least. But they couldn't keep away from each other no matter who was hurt. They didn't embrace or even touch only looked at each other to know they would be alright. "I think we should go home." He said and she nodded.

**~Sorry For the Time Lapse~**

It had only been an hour since the events took place. They were all, human, vampire and Halloween Town alike, crowded into the living room of the Madisons'. Paul and Sarah looked around worriedly as they all addressed the issue on everyone's mind. What to do with Raven. Of course Sarah and Paul demanded she stay with them as she had her whole life. Jack and Sally had other plans. "Raven obviously can't control her new powers." Sally said in her soft spoken voice. "She needs to be with us so she can learn to control them." Jack of course agreed.

"But she is my daughter too, we've raised her since she was born." Sarah painfully reminded the rag doll. The two couples went back and forth about Raven for what seemed like eternity. Raven and Alexander on the other hand sat on a shared loveseat still not touching each other and didn't speak. Raven only did when she asked Billy where Briar was.

"He's in your room, probably asleep since he went through hell." He nodded up the stairs and then went up them to his room. Raven could tell her brother wasn't exactly into the idea anymore of her being his sister. He had seen what she could be. Becky on the other hand was digesting all of this easily to both girls surprise.

"I don't care what you are Rave," Becky said when they were heading to her bedroom. "I just want you happy and healthy like anyone else. You're like a sister to me." Raven accepted the hug from her best friend and the two with Alexander behind entered her bedroom. Raven missed the familiar room and was happy to see Briar laying shirtless on her bed still breathing. Nightmare lay on the pillow above his head like a protective kitten and mewed seeing her owner after days. Briar opened his eyes slowly and blinked seeing his older sister there. He would have to get use to the idea of calling her 'sister'. Raven took a few steps in the room before pausing at the end of her bed.

"Hey." Briar muttered and took a deep breathe.

"Hey." Raven said quietly, her eyes carefully examining Briar's injuries. "I cant thank you enough for what you did. Taking a knife for someone you don't know." She carefully sat on the edge of the bed and looked where someone, probably Sarah, had wrapped his chest in bandages. Dried blood was on his stomach and she felt a little sick.

Briar chuckled then winced from the movement. "Well we are related after all, I thought I should let you live long enough to get to know you." Raven gave a saddened smile before Briar took her hand. "Are mom and dad here?" She nodded and he sighed again. "They're going to want you to come with us, y'know." She nodded again but half-hearted this time. "Have you decided what you're going to do?" Oh. She looked at him with almost awe, he was the only one to actually ask her. Everyone else assumed they knew what was best for Raven without even asking her.

She looked at her lightly scared hands and shook her head. "I don't know what I want now." She looked behind her to her love and best friend like they knew for her. "I've lived here my whole life, I have a best friend I couldn't ever part with, someone who I love deeply, and a family. A family that has given me everything I wanted." She chose her words very carefully. "But I know there's a world I still want to know, a family that I came from that I want to know. A brother I want to know." She closed her eyes for a moment before taking a deep breathe. "I want both but I know I cant." She looked back to Briar who had an amused expression. "What?"

Briar smiled at her. "You are probably the selfless being I've ever met, and I live with mom."

"I am not selfless-," But he cut her off.

"Let me finish. You are the most selfless person I've ever met but," He shakily brought himself to sit up, Nightmare padded to sit and lay in his lap. "But you need to think of yourself. No one said you can't have both worlds." That struck her. Briar seemed to know more than anyone gave him credit. "You're probably asking how right?" She nodded. "It's not easy." He leaned in close and whispered in her ear.

"Raven belongs with us, end of discussion." Jack said for probably the millionth time. Sarah and Paul only ignored him like a fly on the wall. "She is our daughter, we are responsible for her birth." It was a good argument.

"But we raised her." Sarah said almost in tears. They heard something from upstairs and looked to the banister to see the group of teens looking at them. Raven and Becky walked down the stairs first with Alexander holding up Briar behind them.

"Did any of you think to ask what Raven wanted?" Briar groaned as Alexander set him onto the loveseat. "It is her life after all." That made the couples quiet and sit in their seats.

Sarah looked to her daughter who still wore a shredded shirt, back exposed, and looked very tired. "Raven, do you know what you want?" It was a question that took many, many days for the girl to figure out but slowly she nodded.

"Yes." She stood while everyone else sat. "I want everything to go back to the way it was. But I know that's not going to happen, so I've decided on something else." She looked to Briar who nodded then to the faces of Billy, Becky and finally Alexander. "I want both worlds. The one I was born into," She looked at Jack and Sally, "and the one I grew up in." Sarah and Paul, no her mom and dad, looked at her with pure happiness. "I want to be able to go between worlds if I want, with your permission." Both couples nodded vigorously and Jack started to say something but he quieted when Raven gave him a look. "I'll live here with my mom and dad, but visit my mother and father." This was the plan she had quickly come up with. Somehow it worked in her head but wasn't sure how it would be in real life.

"Raven you can not do that if you are to take the throne." Jack warned her with a cautious expression.

Raven nodded and wringed her hands. "I know. Which is why I decided to give up my claim to the throne." No one anticipated that, not even Briar. He thought she was going to do the opposite, take the throne and visit her humans once in a while. "I don't want to rule a realm. Not if it means having to give up everything I've ever known. The way I see it, Briar takes the throne in my place and he'll rule as he would if I hadn't arrived in Halloween Town." She smiled a forced smile to her new brother. "I know you can do it and we have all the time we need." A silence settled over everyone as Raven's words sunk in. Jack and Sally couldn't believe what she was saying, what she was doing. She was giving up being the Heir, having the power she had experienced for her humanity. But it was also exactly what they thought she'd do. After seeing the rawness of her power, Sally expected nothing more than Raven not wanting any part of it.

"We understand." The rag doll smiled and stood to give her daughter a hug. "Just please stop by more than once a year, seeing you now and how you've grown…." Sally's eyes teared up. "I couldn't bear going a day not seeing you." Raven nodded and looked to Jack who looked worried.

"Someone will have to take care of the mess in Halloween Town." He said softly then shook his head. "It's nothing compared to not seeing you. I'll handle it all." Then he hugged her too. "You will still have to come by so we can handle your…" He touched her cheek and she nodded.

Raven couldn't believe how well this had all ended. No way was this possible as she watched Jack, Sally, and Briar leave her home escorted by Paul to make sure they would get back to their realm safely. Things were to perfect and it made her uneasy, things never ended like this only in fairy tales. "Raven." She looked up at see Alexander looking at her from the doorway. He looked bruised and beaten and she knew she had caused most of them.

"Alexander I am so sorry." She walked over to him and hesitantly wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder. "I will never hurt you again, if you can take me back. I understand if you can't." She was trembling.

Alexander pulled her back to make her look at him and only laughed. "I wasn't aware we broke up." Then he kissed her on her full lips and pulled her close. They were both incredibly sore and tired but neither acknowledged it. A chime sounded through out the house signaling it was 1 am. So much had happened in one night that neither of them could believe it. They pulled away and went to lay on Raven's plush bed. They lay on their sides looking at each other.

"Happy Halloween." Raven muttered after they kissed again when she realized what day it was. Alexander laughed and the sound wrapped Raven in pure comfort and bliss.

"Happy birthday love." The words shocked Raven, today she was seventeen. But that was the last thing on her mind as she started to dose off.

**A/N: THIS IS NOT THE END. I want it to be so bad since I know this needs to but I cant just leave it with this crappy ending. So there will be an epilogue of sorts.**

**Raven: You made me kill people…**

**LBVBA: Only bad ones….**

**Alexander: My people….**

**LBVBA: Bad people! Okay review so they don't kill me! -dives into rabbit hole-**


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